^< 


^^^^ 


'^.^.  w: 


.0^^-\^  .s: 


> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


I 


Ui  Bi2   §22 


Ui 


1.25  IH  1.4 


■  2.0 

Ii4 


Fhotographlc 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


39  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WnSTfR.N.Y.  14510 

(71«)I72-4S03 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  techniquas  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction.  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  below. 


D 


D 


D 


a 

0 


D 


Coloured  ^  overs/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


r~~|    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagte 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restauria  et/ou  pelliculAe 


□   Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 


Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  init  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encra  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  an  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Raiii  avac  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distoiri'on 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  Mure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
11  se  peut  que  certainas  pages  blanches  ajoutias 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  texte, 
mais,  lorsqua  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  M  filmAas. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimantairas; 


L'institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  6t4  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  details 
da  cat  exemplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdas 


□   Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculAes 


r 


D 
D 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^color^es,  tachetdes  ou  piqudes 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  in6gala  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  matarlt 
Comprend  du  material  supplimentaira 


J~y\    Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Th( 
to 


Th( 
poi 
of 
filr 


Ori 
bai 
thi 
sio 
otii 
fin 
sio 
or  i 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  ix6  filmies  d  nouveau  de  fagon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Th< 
shi 
Tift 
wh 

Ma 

difl 
•ni 

ma 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dassous. 


10X 

-t4X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


ler 
le 


Th«  copy  ffilmad  h«r«  has  bMn  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  f  ilmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  v  'ban  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  frame  on  aach  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -h»-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"). 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


I'examplaira  film*  f ut  reproduit  grice  A  la 
gAnArosit*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  *tA  raproduites  avac  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  de  I'exemplaire  f  ilmA,  et  en 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couv^rtura  an 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  paga  qui  comporta  una  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  an  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darniire  paga  qui  comporta  una  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  y  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich*,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  *  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imagas  ntcessaire.  Les  diagrammas  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthoda. 


ita 


lure. 


3 


ax 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

*•' 


f- 


INDIAN    WARS 

OF  THE  WEST; 


ooNTAnrQia 
^BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  OF  THOSE 

PIONfiEES 


:^. 


l¥HO  HEADED  THE  WESTERN:  MTTI«E8  IN  BBPBLLIN0  THE 

l«  ATTACKS  OF  THE  SAVAGES, 


1;-, 


TOGETHER  WITH  A 


\\ 


■<,   y 


EW    OF    THE    CHARACTER,    MANNERS, 
MONUMENTS,    AND    ANTIQUITIES 


OF  THE 


WESTERN    INDIANS. 


vC 


BY  TIMOTHY  FLINt- 


f 


.0i 


.Piff- 


Westward  the  Star  of  Empire  holds  its  way. 


i 


CINCINNATI:. 

rVBIItBBD    BT    B.   H,   FLINT. 

I  1888. 


.''*il 


Entered  according  to  the  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1832,  by 
E.  H.  FiiiNT,  in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  district 
of  Ohio. 


."**' 


N.  &  6.  Guilford  jc  Co.,  Frvniert* 


\ 


INDIAN  WARS  OF  THE  WEST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PHYSICAL  VIEW  OP  THE   WEST. 

The  country,  of  whose  first  settlers  we  propose  to  give 
sketches,  is  now  called  in  common  parlance  the  West,  and 
the  Mississippi  valley,  indicating  its  position  in  regard  to 
the  elder  and  more  populous  country  on  the  shores  of  the 
Atlantic.  It  is  the  largest,  most  singular,  and  most  fertile 
valley  on  thQ  globe.  A  profile,  or  physical  section  of  the 
vast  plain  between  the  Alleghanies  and  Rocky  mountains^ 
places  this  fact  in  an  impressive  point  of  view. 

A  line  round  the  edge  of  the  immense  basin,  commen' 
cing  at  the  northern  sources  of  the  head  waters  of  the  lakes,- 
rouad  the  ABeghanies,  the  gulf  of  Florida,  the  mountains 
thfit  separate  the  waters  of  the  Rio  del  Norte  from  those 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  central  ridges  of  the  Rocky 
mountains  dividing  between  the  watdrs  of  the  Missouri, 
the  gulf  of  California,  and  the  Oregon,  and  thence  around 
the  htod  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  to  its  commencement 
north  of  the  lakes,  would  be  at  least  five  thousand  miles  in 
extent. 

This  vfllst  surface  is  watered  by  the  longest  rivers  oB' 
the  globe.  The  Missouri,  Mississippi,  Arkansas,  Re^. 
.River,  phio,  Tennessee,  Wabash,  Platt^^osas,  Yellow 
Stone,  lUinoiS)  Osage,  and  many  odiear  j»t  the  western 
rivers,  are  as  different  in  charactgr  fi|||a  |hQS)s  of  the  old 
world,  as  this  valley  is  more  extontAfe  iJ|d  ipagniSceiu" 
than  any  o^et.  In  comparison  to  tiieir  widtlji  they  haye 
far  longer  (^rse's,  aui.  "umish  a  navigation  l($w  impeded 
by  falls  and  rapids..  These  rivers  may  1)q  cjpiiii^  iin-^ 


4156$ 


•Vl 


I 

I 


if 


»  ■• 


• 


4  INDIAN  WARS 

mense  natural  canals  winding  through  this  vast  valley  in 
every  direction,  at  once  irrigating,  fertilizing,  and  connec- 
ting its  remotest  points  by  navigable  water  communica-' 
tions.  Three  of  these  streams,  to  wit :  the  Missouri,  the 
Mississippi,  and  Arkansas  present  a  continued  steam  boat 
navrgation  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles  in  length. 
Three  more,  to  wit:  Red  River,  the  Ohio,  aiid  Tennessee 
have  moje  than  a  thousand  miles.  Of  those  which  are 
actually  ascended  by  steam  boats  from  three  to  six  hundred 
miles,  the  number  wcfuld  be  too  tedious  to  enumerate. 
W»  Each  of  these  streams  is  a  kind  of  Nile  to  the  region  it 
irrigates,  having  a  wide  alluvial  valley  along  its  course, 
bounded  on  either  shore  by  bluffs  of  a  peculiar  character, 
generally  faced  with  precipitous  limestone  walls  fronk 
two  to  four  hundred  feet  high.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since 
s|eam  boats  have  first  begun  to  be  seen  mounting  with  the 
power  of  the  imprisoned  elements  between  these  hoary 
and  ancient  parapets  of  the  streams,  scaring  the  water- 
fowls from  their  domain,  and  the  wild  beasts  from  their 
shores.  The  discoveries,  the  peculiar  journals  and  inci- 
dents of  these  long  and  recent  voyages,  are  too  new  and 
voluminous,  and  we  are  yet  too  Iktle  acquainted  with  the 
new  position  in  which  they  have  placed  us,  to  possess  at 
present  all  their  intrinsic  interest.  They  will  constitute 
the  burden  of  the  history  and  song  of  the  coming  genera- 
tions. 

The  peculiar  configuration,  climate,  physical  character, 
fertility,  and  modes  of  communication  of  this  wide  region, 
circumstances  all  having  a  peculiar  bearing  upon  the 
character  of  its  inhabitants,  have  not  failed  to  form  a  lan- 
guage, and  mode  of  thinking,  and  manners  peculiar  to 
the  west,  presenting  to  the  eye  of  a  curious  observer  suf- 
ficiently amusing  differences  between  the  people  of  the 
Atlantic  country  and  the  Mississippi  valley.  The  loiig. 
jorneys  of  the  jinhabitants  in  steam  boats,  and  by  other 
^  Water  conveyaacei,  create  the  necessity  of  new  phrases, 
"  modes  of  speech,  add  even  h^ts  of  thinking  and  feeling. 
Among  the  results  may  bee.  nBBv  reckoned  greater  entejr- 
prise,  and  a  readier  habit  dP  bre>>king  the  ties^f  home,  1^ 
f%m  in  doing  it,  and  in  general  the  hardier  and  more  reck« 


',■*« 


^^' 


■M 


OF  THK  WSfiTT.  9 

km  habitf  of  loldiera,  travetlen,  and  hunters.  Time  and 
oupcuoNiUinces  have  yet  to  determine,  whether  these  ha*^ 
bits  will  form,  <m  the  whole,  a  better  and  more  amiable 
nationality,  than  that  of  the  Atlantic  pe<^le. 

They,  whose  business  is  on  the  blue  waters  of  the  ocean, 
are  apt  to  view  the  freidi  water  voyagers  of  the  western 
rivei|^with  a  sort  of  contempt.  Yet  there  is  no  doubt, 
that  the  habitudes  of  the  dwellere  on  these  rivers,  accus* 
toming  them  from  their  earliest  years  to  manage  watef* 
crafts  both  by  the  oar  and  wind,  and  to  consider  the  wa> 
ters  as  furnishing  their  customary  modes  of  travel  and 
conveyance,  qualify  them,  when  borne  down  their  fbrests 
to  the  sea,  to  become  sailors  at  once.  Fearlessness,  frank* 
ness,  fluency  in  conversation,  a  touch,  perhaps,  of  rough* 
ness,  smacking  of  the  union  of  the  hunter,  soldier,  sailor 
and  merchant,  addictedness  to  cards  and  profanity  form 
the  prominent  traits  of  the  present  voyagers  on  the  western 
rivers. 

The  fertility  of  the  greater  portion  of  this  valley  is  as  , 
surprising  as  its  extent.  Apparently  of  more  recent  for- 
mation than  the  remainder  of  the  CiHitinent,  it  seems  less 
marked  with  the  curse  of  steiility.  Immense  portions  are 
alluvial.  Other  portions  far  frojm  rivers,  or  the  present 
courses  of  waters,  show  as  if  they  were  the  deposit  of 
immense  drained  lakes,  or  a  vast  region  of  former  sub- 
mersion. Even  the  pine  districts,  which  are  extensive  iii 
the  south  and  southwest  of  the  valley,  and  towards  the 
sources  of  the  Mississippi,  are  not  sterile,  like  the  same 
tracts  in  the  Atlantic  country.  They  are  generally  co* 
vered  in  the  summer  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of  grass, 
herbage  and  flowers,  and  bring  moderate  crops  of  corn, 
wheat,  sweet  potatoes,  and  garden  vegetables  without 
manuring.  This  natural  fertility  seems  to  be  owing  to  the 
deep  loam  stratum  of  the  vegetable  soil^'and  its  contain- 
iag  uncommon  proportions  of  limestone^  triturateH,  and 
perfectly  mixe'  with  it.  Whatever  be  the  cause,  every 
traveller  ha»  remarked,  in  pfOpeilliHi  tm  he  begins  to  de- 
Miend  any  of  the  ridgee,  thi^t  fe««4Kl|t  outline  of  this  val- 
lej^l  tiiat  the  foil  shows  a  proportldiiiia^  increase  of  fertiU- 
tf ,    It  is  B^teeifnded,  ti»l  thift  *t«  not  heroi  asfi^- 

1» 


■^;'- 


^MM 


I        ' 
I 

n 

I 

III 


I 


I 

1 


I 


0  INDIAN  WARS 

where,  extensive  legions  consigned  to  sterility;  but  oriy 
that  the  proportion  of  fertile  soil,  compared  with  other 
countries,  is  unusually  great.  ^ 

The  climate,  though  every  where  subject  to  frequent 
changes  and  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  is  generally  a 
mild  and  temperate  one,  presenting  an  atmosphere  with  a 
fair  proportion  of  cloudless  days,  and  a  sky  intensely  blue 
and  transparent.    In  winter  it  no  where  has  the  same  a- 
mount  of  snow,  as  in  the  corresponding  Atlantic  latitudes. 
Another  feature  of  diversity  from  the  Atlantic  country  is 
seen  in  the  vast  western  prairies.    Probably  two-thirds  of 
the  whole  surface  of  this  valley  are  of  this  character.   The 
term  was  furnished  by  the  French,  the  first  settlers  of  the 
country,  and  imports  the  same  as  the  English  word  mea- 
doto.    This  term  to  an  American  ear  generally  denotes  a 
low  and  wet  grass  enclosure.    Nothing  is  farther  from  the 
true  import  of  the  term  prairie,  as  applied  to  the  grass 
plains  of  the  west.    The  savannas  of  Florida  and  some  of 
the  interior  prairies,  are  wet  and  marshy ;  but  the  infinite- 
ly larger  proportion  is  high  and  dry.    Indead,  their  desti- 
tution of  water  is  in  general  their  greatest  inconvenience. 
They  spread  extents  too  uniformly  level  to  admit  of  springs, 
and  areas  too  open  to  evaporation  and  the  direct  operation 
6f  the  sun^s  rays,  to  retain  moisture.    It  has  been  generally 
asserted,  that  not  far  from  the  shores  of  the  upper  Missouri, 
Kansas,  Platte,  Yellow  Stone,  Arkansas,  and  Red  Rivers, 
the  prairies  become  a  sterile  and  moving  sand.    More  re- 
cent discoveries  tend  to  discredit  these  assertions.      The 
prairies  the  most  remote  from  rivers  are  generally  found 
yielding  in  the  season  a  rank  growth  of  grass,  plants,  and 
flowers.    When  American  population  shall  press  upon  the 
means  of  subsistence,  the  vast  level  grass  plains  with  coal 
beds  and  salt  springs  beneath,  will  be  dotted  with  houses  of 
brick  and  hedges  of  thorn,  and  will  be  the  land  of  shep- 
herds and  cultivators.     To  encourage  this  hope,  a  fact 
equally  new,  beautiful,  and  unquestionable  has  been  set- 
tled by  experience,  that  the  innocent  labors  of  the  cultiva- 
tor call  down  the  blessing  of  the  sky  upon  the  earth.    Be- 
tween the  husbandioaan,  the  earth,  and  the  atmosphere 
there  aeema  a  sort  of  compatibility  and  cootnct^  that  the 


OF  THE  W|SST.  7 

■hall  till,  and  the  others  grant  moisture  and  increase* 
Oppression  and  disease  have  no  sooner  banibhed  man 
from  the  plains  of  Babylon,  Persia,  and  Palestine,  than 
the  ground  parches,  the  trees  disappear,  the  beasts,  and 
even  the  birds  depart  into  exile,  and  the  country,  aban- 
doned to  sterility,  becomes  a  moving  sand.  In  reverse  of 
this  order,  when  the  thousands  of  square  leagues  of  dry 
grass  plains  west  of  the  Mississippi,  shall  become  the  re* 
sorts  of  husbandmen,  the  granges,  the  hedges,  the  young 
orchards,  the  mulberry  groves,  forming  a  new  alliance 
with  the  sky,  will  generate  showers,  arrest  the  clouds, 
and  pour  innumerable  rivulets  over  all  these  green  wastes. 

In  regard  to  the  products  of  the  west,  without  entering 
into  details  foreign  to  our  plan,  we  remark  four  distinct 
species  of  cultivation,  predominating  in  as  many  parallel 
belts,  as  we  descend  from  the  northern  extremity  of  the 
valley  towards  the  south.  The  first  is  a  zone  with  products 
similar  to  the  northern  Atlantic  states;  and  commencing 
at  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and  terminating  at  Prai- 
rie du  Ghien,  it  corresponds  to  the  climate  between  Mon- 
treal and  Boston.  The  Indian  corn  of  the  northern  states, 
Irish  potatoes,  rye,  wheat,  and  cultivated  grasses  are 
raised  in  perfection.  The  winter  has  an  average  dura- 
tion of  five  months. 

The  second  belt,  commencing  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and 
terminating  at  latitude  36  deg.,  produces  the  gourd-seed 
corn,  rye,  wheat,  apples,  pears,  p#&ches,  and  sweet  pota- 
toes. The  average  winter  is  four  months.  The  next  belt, 
reaching  from  36  to  31  deg.,  is  the  region  t)f  cotton.  From 
30  deg.  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico  is  the  belt  of  the  sugar  cane, 
the  orange  and  fig  tree,  and  the  corresponding  productions. 
Sugar  and  cotton  from  these  districts  already  constitute  a 
prodigious  item  in  the  products  of  the  American  soil ;  and 
when  this  valley  is  peopled  and  cultivated,  as  one  day  it 
will  be,  imagination  can  hardly  limit  the  extent,  to  which 
these  articles  will  be  produced. 

The  progress  of  the  population  of  this  country  is  with- 
out any  example  or  parallel  in  the  records  of  other  colo' 
Dies  in  ancient  or  modern  times ;  ni^-excepting  even  the  an- 
oAlaof  the  advancement  of  the  Adantic  countcyi    We  can 


i  UflltAir;  WAtS 

reniember,  when  all  this  country,  except  the  ancient  Fraaeb 
eoJkNiies  in  it,  waa  an  unknown  and  an  unpeopled  wilder*' 
neia.  The  firat  settlers  encountered  incredible  hardshina 
and  dangers.  But  cmly  open  before  Amerioans  a  fertile 
soil,  and  a  mild  climate,  and  their  native  enterprise,  fos- 
tercMd  by  the  stimulcuit  effect  of  freedom  and  mild  laws,  will 
overcome  every  impediment.  Sickness,  solitude,  moun« 
tains,  the  war-hoop,  the  merciless  tomahawk,  wolves,  pan* 
there,  and  bears,  dear  and  distant  homes,  foraedien  forever, 
will  come  over  their  waking  thoughts,  and  revisit  their 
dreams  in  vain,  to  prevent  the  young,  fk>rid  and  unpor' 
tioned  pair  from  scaling  remote  mountains,  descending 
long  rivers,  and  finally  selecting  their  spot  in  the  forests, 
and  consecrating  their  solitary  cabin  with  the  dear  and  sa- 
cred name  of  home. 

The  following  synoptical  view  will  show  in  a  few  words, 
the  astonishing  advance  of  this  population.  In  1790  the 
population  of  this  valley,  exclXisfveof  the  country  west  of 
the  Mississippi  and  of  Florida,  which  were  not  then  with- 
in our  territorial  limits,  was  .estimated  by  enumeration,  at 
little  more  than  one  hundred  thousand.  In  1600  it  was 
something  short  of  three  hundred  and  eighty  thousand. 
In  1810  it  was  short  of  one  million.  In  1820,  including 
the  population  west  of  the  Mississippi,  rating  the  popu- 
lation of  Florida  at  twenty  thousand,  and  that  of  the  parts 
of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  included  in  this  valley  at 
three  hundred  thousand,  and  it  will  give  the  population  of 
1820  at  two  millions  five  hundred  thousand.  The  present 
population  may  be  rated  at  four  millioua.  It  will  be  per- 
ceived, that  this  is  an  increase,  in  more  than  a  duplicate 
ratio  in  ten  years. 

Some  considerable  allowance  must  be  made,  of  course, 
for  the  flood  of  immigration,  which  can  not  reasonably  be 
expected  to  set  this  way  for  the  future,  as  atrcmgly  as  it 
has  for  the  past.  Ohio,  with  the  largest  and  most  dense 
population  of  any  of  the  western  states,  has  nearly  doubled 
her  number  of  inhabitants,  between  tfie  census  of  1820 
and  1830.  Duringtfaat  interval,  her  gain  by  immigration 
has  hakUy  equall^  her  loss  by  emigration ;  and  of  course, 
ii.  wnply  that  of  natunl  increaae.    In  this  rapidity  of  thiv 


rinrS"'iiiiMih'ii  r^^*^— 


OP  THE  WEST. 


9 


increase,  we  believe,  this  state  not  only  exceeds  any  other 
in  the  west,  but  in  the  world.  It  is  the  good  natured  jest 
of  all,  who  travel  through  the  western  states,  that  however 
productive  in  other  harvests,  they  are  still  more  so  in  an 
unequalled  crop  of  flaxen-headed  children,  the  nobler 
CTovvth  our  realms  supply!  We  have  a  million  more 
mhabitaats  than  the  thirteen  good  old  United  States,  w  hen, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war,  they  threw 
down  the  gauntlet  in  the  face  of  the  parent  country,  then 
the  most  powerful  empire  on  the  globe. 

Notwithstanding  the  impression,  so  generally  entertain- 
ed in  the  Atlantic  country,  that  this  valley  is  universally 
unhealthy,  ana  notwithstanding  the  necessary  admission^ 
that  fever  and  ague  is  prevalent  to  a  great  and  annoying 
degree,  the  stubborn  facts  above  stated,  dc^r/nstrate,  be- 
yond all  possibility  of  denial,  that  no  country  is  :nore  pro- 
pitious to  increase  by  natural  population.  Wherever  the 
means  of  easy,  free,  and  ample  subsistence  are  provided, 
it  is  in  the  nature  and  order  of  human  thiiigi^,  that  poiiulatioa 
should  increase  rapidly.  In  such  a  country, though  some 
parts  of  it  should  prove  sickly,  perseverance  will  ultimate- 
ly triumph  over  even  this  impediment,  the  most  formidable 
of  all.  In  that  fertile  region,  for  its  insalubrious  districts 
are  almost  invariably  those  of  (he  highest  fertility,  immi- 
grants will  arrive,  become  sickly  and  discouraged;  and 
perhaps,  return  with  an  evil  report  of  the  country.  In  the 
productive  and  sickly  sections  of  the  south,  allured  by  its 
rich  products,  and  (ts  exemption  from  winter,  adventurers 
will  successively  arrive,  fix  themselves,  become  sickly, 
and  it  may  be,  die.  Others,  lusting  for  gain,  and  with 
that  recklessness  to  the  future,  for  wise  ends  awarded  us 
by  Providence,  and  undismayed  by  the  fate  of  those  who 
have  preceded  them,  will  replace  them.  By  culture,  drai-  . 
ning,  the  feeding  of  cattle,  and  the  opening  the  country  to 
the  fever-banishing  breeze,  the  atmosphere  is  found  grad- 
ualfy  to  meliorate.  The  inhabitants,  taught  by  experience 
and  suffering,  come  by  degrees  to  learn  the  climate,  the 
diseases,  and  preventives,  and  a  race  will  finally  stand, 
which  will  possess  the  adaptation  to  the  country,  which  re- 
sults, from  acclimation;  and  even  these  sections  are  fotilHi 


.M%. 


10 


filDIAIf  WAR9 


.'§.' 


in  timefto  Iwv^'ti  d6^^e  of  natural  increase  of  population 
with  thereat.  Such  has  proved  to  be  the  steady  advance 
of  things  in  the  sickliest  points  of  the  south.  The  rapidity- 
of  c;>f  io^rcase  in  numbers  multiplies  the  difficulties  of 
subsisteopj^iuicl  stimulates,  aitid  sharpens  the  swarming  fa- 
culties ail^  propensities  in  the  parent  hive,  and  willcaufje, 
that  ii|  due  lapse  of  time  and  progress  of  things,  ^very  fer- 
tild  carter  section  in  this  valley  will  support  its  family. 

Another, pleasant  circumstance  impended  to  this  view 
is,  that  almost  the  entire  population  of  the  valley  are  cul- 
tivators of  the  soil.  The  inhabitants  of  cfowded  towns 
and  villages,  the  numerous  artizans  and  laborers  in  manu- 
^  factories,  can  neither  be,  as  a  mass,  so  healthy,  so  virtuous 
or  happy,  as  free  cultivators  of  the  soil.  The  man  whose 
daily  range  of  prospect  is  dusty  streets,  or  smoky  and  dead 
brick  wallg.  ibd  whose  views  become  limit^  by  habit  to 
the  encloswe  of  these  walls;  who  depends  fdr  his  subsist- 
ence on  the  daily  supplies  of  the  marl  .,  and  whose  mo- 
tives to  action  are  elicited  by  constant  and  hourly  struggle 
ipd  competition  with  his  fellows,  will  have  the  advantage 
in  some  points  over  the  secluded  tenant  of  a  cabin  or  a 
fiirm  house.  But  still,  taking  every  thing  into  the  calcu- 
lation, we  would  choose  to  be  the  owner  of  a  half  section 
of  land,  and  daily  contemplate  nature,  as  we  tilled  the  soil, 
aided  in  that  primitive  and  noble  occupation  by  our  own 
vigorous  children.  The  dweller  in  towns  and  villages 
may  have  more  of  Ule  air  and  tone  of  society,  and  his 
daughters. may  keep  nearer  to  the  chiuiges  of  the  fashions. 
But  we  have  little  doubt,  that,  in  str^ing  the  balance  of 
enjoyment,  tjbe  latter  will  be  found  to  jhitbe  happier  man, 
and  more  likely  to  have  a  numerous  and  healthy  family. 
The  people  of  the  west,  with  very  small  deductions,  are 
cultivators  of  the  soil.  All,  that  are  neither  idle,  nor  un- 
able to  labor,  have  a  rural  abundance  of  the  articles,  which 
the  soil  can  furnish,  far  beyond  the  needs  of  the  country; 
and  it  is  one  of  our  most  prevalent  complaints,  that  this 
abundance  is  far  beyond  the  chances  of  profitable  sale. 

The  extent,  to  which  the  commerce  of  the  country  has 
been  (sarriedy-may  be  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  the  annu- 
a\  expcMTts  from  New  Orleans  average  from  twelve  to  fif- 


OF  TW  v^wm^ 


n 


inn  millions  of  doUars.  Among  tfie  items  1^|#1^  Wi 
<He  hundred  and  ll^-seven  thousand,  ^irtte^wiiNiilill 
twenty-eight  barrefs  of  flour,  from  fifty  to  eig^  ttouimft 
hogsheads  of  sugar,  twelve  million  pounds  Of  leid^  and 
two  million  dollars  worth  of  potk,  he^tdlL^  itaptos  of 
oofton  and  tobacco.  The  Whole  amodtit  ljfeg0>aii  IMt 
tdbnage  exceeds  fifty  thousand  tons^  'flaaew^fmitfi^  wai 
eighty  steam  boats  have  be«n  built  or  run;  anil 
two  hondred  are  now  actually  running  upon  flie  lilJIteni 

nv^nli  ■  ■   ■  '^.'-M.-' 

New  Orleans,  the  chief  city  of  the  western  emUtff 
contains  ov^  fifty  thousand  inhalntants,  and  more  com-  ^^ 
mercial  business  is  transacted  in  it  than  in  any  other  of  the'^ 
size  in  Ameiica.    Cincinnati,  ihe  next  largest  town,  con- 
tains over  thirty  thousand  inhabitants;  and  few  towns  in 
the  United  States  surpass  it  in  beauty«j|  Pittsburgh,  a 
town  of  immense  manufacturing  business  aij4- resources, 
contains  with  its  suburbs  twenty-two  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  thirty-three  inhabitants.      Louisville,  a  large 
commercial  town  of  Kentucky,  contains  upwards  of/te^ 
thousand  inhabitants.    St,  Louis,  Nashville,  Lexinitoir/ 
and  Zanesville,  are  large  and  growing  towns;  and  hun- 
dreds of  villages  are  rapidly  advancing  to  the  same  rank. 
Towers,  churches,  manufactories,  seminaries,  and  institu- 
tions are  springing  up  on  every  side. 

Before  we  proceed  to  present  sketches  of  the  adventu- 
rous spirits,  who  preceded  in  the  discovery  and  settlement 
of  this  vast  valley,  we  give  in  a  compressed  and  tabular 
view,  some  of  its  most  interesting  physical,  taoral,  and 
political  features. 

It  contains  four-fifths  of  the  area  of  the  Uflited  States. 
The  Missouri  exceeds  three  thousand  miles  in  length. 
The  Mississippi  has  a  course  of  two  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred; the  Arkansas  of  two  thousand  five  hundred;  Red 
River  of  one  thousand  ej|^t  hundred;  ...a  Ohio  of  one 
thousand  five  hundred;  White  River  of  one  thousand  two 
huildi^ ;  and  Tennessee  of  the  same  extent — some  of  the 
rivers  of  the  Mis^ri,  as  the  Platte  and  Yellow  Stone, 
have  courses  of  equal  length! 

Ph)ceoding  on  a  leM  ratio  of  increase,  than  thatirliicb 


,'  ;-.^l 


f,^- 


m 


*p 


■n 


11J 


INDIAN;  WARS 


has  marked  the  prc^ess  of  western  population  from  tl^e 
commencement  of  its  settlement,  in  the  year  1850  this 
valley  will  contain  ten  millions  of  inhabitants,  or  more 
than  half  the  population  of  the  whole  United  States.  Of 
course,  the  balance  of  physical  power  will  be  west  of  the 
Alleghany  inountains.  Another  interesting  circumstance 
may  be  mentioned.  So  far  as  physical  configuration  and 
relative  position  may  be  supposed  capable  of  influencing^ 
the  physical  and  moral  destinies  of  a  country,  there  is  no 
one  of  the  same  extent  <m  the  earth,  every  part  of  which  is 
80  intimr^tely  connected  with  every  other  part  by  physical 
\  relations  and  mutual  necessities,  as  the  eastern  and  west- 
ern, the  northern  and  southern  divisions  of  this  great  val- 
ley. Of  course,  sectional  feeling  will  be  less  likely  to 
trise,  as  a  cause  of  jealousy,  severance,  and  disunion 
between  the  several  members  of  the  western  confederacy. 
Bnlightened  nationality  is  a  great  political  advantage, 
which  this  region,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  ought 
to  possess  in  an  uncombn  degree.  No  country  has  the 
natiiral  means  of  such  easy  and  rapid  interchange  be- 
tween its  remotest  extremities,  and  the  inhabitahts  have 
every  inducement  to  become  a  social  people. 

There  were  supposed  to  be  in  1832  four  thousand  five 
hundred  churches  of  the  different  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians, thirty  colleges  and  larger  seminaries,  with  a  rapid- 
ly increasing  number  of  primary  and  common  schools. 
The  militia  in  1832  was  about  four  hundred  and  thirty 
thousand. 

When  we  take  into  view  the  extent  of  this  valley,  the 
uncounted  millions  of  acres  of  fertile  lands,  yet  to  be 
redeemed  from  the  wilderness,  when  we  measure  the 
probable  increase  by  the  astonishing  actual  ratio  of  the 
past,  a  measure  of  increase  unparallelled  in  the  annals  of 
colonization,  we  cannot  but  contemplate  this  vast,  fair, 
and  fertile  valley,  in  the  centre  of  our  great  continent, 
with  an  elevated  moral  interest.  While  the  broad  and 
calculating  reach  of  anticipation  e^^tends  to  the  generations 
to  come,  and  imagines  what  will  be  the  influence  of  this 
new  empire  upon  the  history  of  the  future,  we  should  be 
lost  to  ourselvesy  and  the  common  sentiments  of  human 


OF  THE  WEST. 


13 


ere  is  no 


nature,  if  we  did  not  turn  with  a  keen  and  enquiring  spirit 
to  ask,  who  and  what  were  the  discoverers  and  pioneers 
of  this  country,  who  laid  the  foundations  of  its  present 
improvements  and  future  prospects? 

In  the  days  of  ancient  fable,  discoverers  and  founders 
were  reputed  afler  their  death  to  be  demi-gods.  Temples 
were  reared  to  them;  and  their  achievements  were  inscri- 
bed upon  monumental  marble  and  brass.  More  enlight- 
ened,  not  we  would  hope  at  the  expense  of  grateful  sensi- 
bility, we  will  place  the  great  names  of  the  founders  of  our 
empire  before  our  children.  We  will  cause  their  eyes  to 
glisten  by  the  recital  of  their  deeds  of  daring,  their  spirit 
of  self  sacriiice,'  their  heroic  conflicts,  and  their  lonely  toils. 
In  contemplating  the  intrepidity,  heroism,  disinterestedness, 
and  capability  of  endurance  of  our  forefathers,  we  present 
a  new  and  more  elevated  standard  of  imitation  to  their  pos- 
terity, born  in  times  and  under  circumstances  tending  to 
foster  effeminacy  and  selfishness.  It  can  never  be  useless 
to  contemplate  these  images  of  stern  self  control,  of  sub- 
lime vigor  and  perseverance.  In  seeing  what  men  have 
been,  and  may  be,  v  e  find  the  best  incitements  to  arrest 
the  downward  tendency  to  indolence,  self  indulgence,  and 
pusillanimity.  We  shall  attempt,  with  these  intentions,  to 
pass  the  chief  of  these  mighty  and  master  spirits  in  review 
in  the  following  chapters. 


CHAPTER  II. 


DISCOVERY  AND  CONQUEST  OF  FLORIDA,  AND  SETTLEMENT 
ON    THE   MISSISSIFFI. 

A  sketch  of  these  events,  though  almost  an  episode  in 
the  annals  of  western  history,  from  the  little  influence  that 
Florida  has  exerted  upon  the  western  country,  is  due  to  a 
general  and  chronological  view  of  the  subject.  Florida  was 
the  first  part  of  this  valley  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  Eu- 

2 


14 


INDIAN   V7ARS 


1 

I 


I' 


rope.  This  country  had  been  discovered  and  occupied  by 
the  Spaniards  nearly  forfy  years,  before  any  definite  know- 
ledge of  the  Mississippi,  as  the  mighty  river  of  the  western 
interior,  had  been  obtained. 

Cuba,  as  the  most  fertile  and  conspicuous  of  the  West 
Indies,  or  Antilles,  was  among  the  earliest  Spanish  settle- 
ments. Havana  early  became  the  most  important  city 
in  this  western  archipelago,  the  central  point  of  its  commu- 
nications, the  depot  of  its  products,  and  the  arsenal  whence 
were  fitted  out  its  expeditions  for  discovery  and  conquest. 

So  near  are  the  keys  of  Florida  to  Havana,  that  the 
naval  communications  ot  that  great  mart  could  not  be  kept 
up  without  making  the  discovery  of  the  Floridas,  as  an  in- 
cidental event  of  course.  It  is  probable,  that  Sebastian 
Cabot,  the  English  navigator,  saw  the  shores  of  this  coun- 
try, in  a  few  years  after  the  discovery  of  the  continent  by 
Columbus.  But  the  effective  discovery  must  be  conceded 
to  the  Spanish  navigator,  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  in  1512; 
that  is  about  twenty  years  after  the  discovery  of  America. 
The  Spanish  chronicles  relate,  that  he  undertook  this  voy- 
age in  consequence  of  a  popular  tradition,  which  prevail- 
ed at  Cuba,  that  somewhere  in  the  interior  of  Florida, there 
was  a  precious  spring  fountain,  whose  waters  had  the  pro- 
perty of  imparting  rejuvenescence,  and  afterwards  perpet- 
uating perennial  youth.  Having  plundered  the  empire  of 
Montezuma  and  the  Incas  of  immense  masses  of  gold,  it 
would  have  been  an  admirable  appendage  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  these  greedy  adventurers,  to  have  lived  in  immortal 
youth  in  the  possession  of  their  ill  gotten  gains. 

He  fitted  out  a  small  squlidron  from  Cuba,  and  steered 
across  the  gulf  to  the  continent,  in  search  of  this  fountain 
of  perpetual  youth.  He  discovered  land  on  Easter  day, 
and  gave  it  the  name  of  Florida,  from  the  Spanish  name  of 
that  festival,  pasqua  de  jlores,  the  festival  of  flowers;  or, 
according  to  Herera,  from  the  appearance  of  the  country, 
which  at  the  time  of  the  discovery,  was  covered  with  abun- 
dant flowers.  If  this  were  the  origin  of  the  name  Florida, 
or  the  flowering  country,  the  catalpa  and  magnolia,  the  wild 
pink  shrubberies,  fringing  the  shores  of  the  streams,  and 
the  white  blossoms  of  Sie  cornus  Florida  would  indeed  give 


OF  THE  WEST. 


15 


reason  that  it  should  be  so  called,  the  aspect  of  the  coun- 
try  in  early  spiing  being  that  of  a  boundless  waste  of  flow- 
^irs  of  the  most  brilliant  colors  and  fragrant  odors.    • 

The  adventurer  debarked  his  expedition.  He  wander- 
ed into  the  interior,  and  found  plenty  offish  tnd  game,  but 
no  fountain  of  rejuvenescence.  On  the  contrary,  he  soon 
met  bands  of  fierce  and  determined  savages,  very  different 
from  the  docile,  timid,  and  elhminate  Indians  of  Cuba.  He 
was  glad  to  escape  these  conflicts  by  a  rapid  retreat  to  the 
shore,  whence  he  debarked  for  the  islands. 

Grijalva,  Vasques,  Garay,  Ally  on,  and  Narvaes  fitted 
out  Successive  expeditions  for  discovery,  chiefly  in  search 
of  mines,  between  1518  and  1528.  These  expeditions  pre- 
sent  little  of  interest,  except  the  cupidity  aad  perfidy  of  the 
Spanish  in  their  attempt  to  carry  off  the  natives,  as  slavei^ 
and  the  fierce  retaliations  of  the  natives.  The  expeditions 
all  ended  in  ineffectual  explorations,  defeats,  storms^ 
wrecks,  and  disappointment. 

The  attempt  of  Ferdinand  de  Soto,  governor  ofOuba, 
was  a  more  sustained  enterprise,  contemplating  no  less  than 
the  conquest  and  colonization  of  Florida.  He  sailed  from 
Havana  with  a  powerful  armament  of  nine  ships,  manned 
with  a  thousand  men,  and  carrying  two  hundred  and  fitly 
horses,  and  various  kinds  of  live  stock,  indicating  a  pur- 
pose to  establish  a  colony.  This  formidable  array  was 
headed  by  a  leader,  who,  unlike  most  of  the  Spanish  ad< 
venturers,  sought  glory,  rather  than  gold.  In  a  constant 
succession  of  skirmishes  with  the  natives,  he  penetra^°id 
the  interior,  as  fn^  as  the  country  of  the  Chickasaws,  re* 
turning  on  his  steps  from  that  region  to  the  Mississippi,  be- 
ing probably  the  first  European  who  ever  saw  it  above 
the  mouth.  He  crossed  it  near  the  point  where  Red  Riv- 
er enters.  It  is  likely,  that  he  had  very  little  idea  either 
of  the  extent  or  magnitude  of  either  of  those  rivers.  On 
the  latter  he  encamped,  sickened,,  and  died.  He  had  ren- 
.'  ;ed  himself  so  much  an  object  of  hatred  and  terror  to  the 
Indians,  ,that,  either  to  conceal  the  knowledge  of  his  death^ 
or  prevent  bis  body  from  violation,  it  was  enclosed  in  a 
rude  coffin,  made  from  the  section  of  a  hollow  tree,  and 
8unk  in  the  river..    His  folbwers,  reduced  to  two  hundred 


16 


INDIAN  WARS 


and  fifty  in  number,  and  brought  to  the  last  degree  of  want 
and  despair,  were  glad  to  fly  from  these  wild  and  inho«»pita- 
ble  forests,  and  Florida  was  once  more  left  without  an  £u%. 
ropean  inhabitant.  4    ;  «^ 

The  illustrious  protestant  admiral  Coligny,  so  celebra- 
ted in  French  history,  formed  the  project  of  establishing 

,  on  these  remote  shores  a  colony  of  Hugunots,  as  the  pro- 
testants  were  called  in  France,  in  order  to  furnish  them  an 
asylum  from  persecution,  in  the  wilderness.  Charles  of 
France,  anxious  to  get  rid  of  hi^  subjects  of  this  description, 
furthered  the  project.  An  expedition  to  form  a  settlement 
was  accordingly  fitted  out,  and  the  command  given  to  Fran- 
cois Ribault.  The  colonists  were  landed  not  far  from  the 
liresent  poeation  of  St.  Augustine.  On  the  eastern  shore 
of  the  bay  of  St.  Joseph  he  built  a  fort,  which  the  French 
writers  contend,  was  the  first  European  fortification  erect- 
ed east  of  the  Mississippi  river.  In  honor  of  the  king  of 
France,  it  was  called  fort  Charles,  and  a  number  of  pro- 

V     testants  settled  there. 

This  ill-fated  colony  suffered  disasters  from  disaffection^ 
mutiny,  and  hunger,  among  themselves,  and  from  intention- 
al abandonment  by  the  parent  country.  After  a  consider- 
able interval  of  time,  Ribault  arrived  with  seven  ships  and 
adequate  reinforcements  from  France,  but  it  was  only  to 
draw  from  the  new  •  settlement  all  the  men  that  could  be 
spared,  for  an  attack  upon  the  Spanish  fleet  in  those  seas, 
M.  de  Laudoniere  was  left  in  command;  but  with  a  force 
unequal  to  its  defence.  In  the  absence  of  Ribault,  it  was 
attacked  by  Don  Pedro  Menendez,  who  commanded  a  Span- 
ish force  from  the  Antilles,  charged  by  the  king  of  Spain 
to  extirpate  the  heretics  from  Florida,  and  plant  orthodox 
Spanish  catholics,  in  their  place.  He  fulfilled  his  detesta- 
ble mission  to  the  letter,  attacking,  and  carrying  thd  fort  by 
storm.  All  that  escaped  the  sword,  were  immediately 
huug.  with  this  inscription  labelled  on  their  backs:  'not  as 
'  heretics,  but  as  enemies  of  God  and  the  Virgin.'  A  re- 
spectable protestant  gentleman  fe'^  his  spirit  stirred  to  a- 
venge  the  massacre  of  his  countrymen,  and  the  heirs  of  his 
faith,  by  his  own  private  resources.  He  fitted  out  a  small 
armament,  sailed  to  the  country)  enlisted  a  number  of  In- 


OF  THE  WBSr. 


IT 


diaiurexaflperftted  with  the  conduct  of  the  Spanish  garrison^ 
as  allies,  attacked  the  fort)  and  after  a  severe  resistance 
carried  it.  All  that  survived  the  assault,  were  hung  on 
the  same  trees,  from  which  the  miserable  French  had  been 
suspended,  with  this  retaliating  label  on  their  backs:  ^not 
'  as  Spaniards,  or  soldiers,  but  as  traitors  and  assassins.' 
Such  are  the  revolting  results  of  bigotry  in  all  time. 

Detailed  views  of  the  history  of  Florida,  from  their  little 
connexion  with  the  settlement  and  political  fortunes  of  the 
west,  will  not  be  here  introduced.  This  extensive  plain 
of  savannas,  lakes,  and  pine  woods  soon  returned  to  the 
possession  of  the  Spaniards,  whose  possession  of  Cuba  and 
the  Antilles  gave  them  peculiar  facilities  for  i:etaining  it; 
and  it  remained  in  their  occupancy  nearly  half  a  century^ 
It  never  reached  any  considerable  extent  of  population  or 
political  importance ;  atid  was  chiefly  valuable  to  Spain,  on 
account  of  its  cooler  and  healthier  temperature,  than  Cu- 
ba; and  its  extensive  pasturage*  burnishing  cattle  to  the 
garrison  and  inhabitants  of  Havana. 

The  first  efficient  settlement  of  the  Mississippi  valley 
must  be  traced  to  the  French,  and  was  a  germ  of  the  im- 
portant colony  of  Canada.    Previously,  therefore,  to  en- 
tering on  that  history,  we  premise  a  tew  brief  sketches  of 
the  settlement  of  Canada.     The  discovery  of  this  country 
was  by  Gasper  Cortereal,  a  Portuguese  navigator  in  1500. 
He  first  saw  the  great  river  St.  La«vrence.    He  coasted 
the  shores  of  Newfoundland  and  Labrador;  and  while  pur- 
suing his  explorations  in  the  interior,  he  and  his  associates 
were  slain  in  those  inhospitable  forests  by  the  natives. 
The  patriarch  of  the  French  colonies  in  North  America 
was  James  Cartier,  an  experienced  mariner  of  St.  M{|,lo, 
who  sailed  April  20,  15b  ^,  with  two  ships  and  one  Mm- 
dred  and  twenty-two  men  for  Newfoundland.  During  this 
voyage  he  discovered  the  bay  of  Chaleur,'and  the  gulf  of 
St.  Lawrence.    In  1535  he  sailed  a  second  time,  under  a 
royal  commission,  with  three  ships  and  a  large  number  of 
young  adventurers,  of  distinction,  elate  with  the  hope  of 
meeting  similar  golden  fortunes  with  the  first  Spanish  ad- 
venturers.   On  this  second  voyage  he  discovered  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  sailed  up  that  noble  stream  one  hundred 

2* 


■y. 


*^-,l 


18 


INDIAN  WARS 


■^1 


M 


I 


ileagues*  He  made  extensive  explorations  alone  the  shores 
as  mr  as  the  Isle  of  Orleans,  ingratiated  himself  with  many 
of  the  savage  tribes ;  and  by  a  union  of  stratagem  and  force, 
carried  a  chief  of  one  of  their  tribes  to  France.  But  being 
able  to  laise  no  pxpectations  of  finding  gold  and  silver  in 
abundance,  the  only  inducements  in  that  age,  which  temp- 
ted the  cupidity  of  princes  to  attempt  colonies,  the  country 
was  abandoned. 

Enthusiasm  pushed  this  adventurer  to  continual  efforts 
to  magnify  the  importance  of  his  discovery,  and  the  utility 
of  colonizing  it.     In  1540  he  persuaded  Francois  de  la 
Roche,  a  nobleman  of  Picardy,  to  furnish  him  the  means 
of  effecting  a  settlemept  in  Canada.    Cairtier  was  appoin- 
ted to  the  command  of  five  ships,  and  countenanced  by  a 
royal  commission.     On  the  23d  of  August,  1540,  this  ex- 
pedition arrived  at  St.  Croix,  ar.d  sailed  up  the  St.  Law- 
rence four  leagues  above  that  point,  where  he  built  on  a 
high  cliff  the  first  fortification,  called  Charlesbourg,  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  present  position  of  Quebec,  where 
he  passed  the  winter.    The  journal  of  the  first  winter  spent 
there  speaks  of  ice  two  fathoms  thick,  and  snow  more  than 
four  feet  deep  j  and  of  that  bitter  and  unrelenting  severity 
of  a  Canadian  winter,  too  well  confirmed  by  subsequent 
acquaintance  with  the  climate.      This  extreme  severity, 
pressing  upon  unacclimated  adventurers,  poorly  ..upplied 
with  comfortable  §helter  and  comforts,  produced  the  natu- 
ral results  of  wasting  and  mortal  sickness.     Yet  the  banks 
of  the  magnificent  St.  Lawrence  furnished  a  rich  soil,  and 
delightful  habitations,  during  the  brief  warm  summer  of 
the  climate.     The  connexion  of  this  mighty  river  with  the 
vast  northern  lakes,  and  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  the 
immense  mart  thence  opened  for  t/ading  with  the  natives,' 
and  the  consequent  resources  of  the  fur  trade,  together 
with  the  peculiar  aptitude  of  the  French  for  that  trade,  and 
for  conciliating  the  savages,  soon  gave  solidity  and  impor- 
tance to  the  settlements  in  this  inclement  region.    These 
advantages  enabled  the  colony  to  surmount  the  severity  of 
the  climate,  occasional  wars  with  the  Indians,  and  ev^n  the 
conquest  of  the  English,  to  yfhom  the  colony  surrendered 
^  in  1628,  one  jjiundred  and  thirty  years  before  its  final  cooi- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


19 


te  means 


quest  by  Wolfe.    It  was  shortly  af^er  relitored  to  France,"' 
and  continued  to  advance  in  population,  wealth,  and  impor* 
tance.    Lying  in  the  rear  of  New  England  and  New  York, 
and  encircling  the  northern  frontier  of  those  provinces,  it 
continued  for  the  space  of  a  century  to  menace  the  conquest 
of  those  colonies,  and  to  send  forth  expeditions  of  French 
and  Indians,  to  plunder  and  harass  those  incipient  settle- 
ments; and  to  fill  their  early  annals  with  chronicles  of  the 
border  wars  with  the  Canadians.     From  the  earliest  peri- 
ods of  the  foundation  or  Quebec  and  Montreal,  the  French 
aptitude  to  ingratiate  themselves  with  the  Indians  had  beeif 
conspicuous.     The  colonists  began  early  to  cohabit  with 
the  Indian  women,  and  to  display  that  inclination  for  hun- 
ting, and  trapping,  and  becoming,  in  their  phrase,  expert 
coureurs  du  hois,  or  woodmen,  which  has  marked  their 
character  from  that  time  to  this.    They  were  not  slpw  in 
discovering  the  astonishing  and  instinctive  shrewdness  of 
the  Indians,  in  pursuing  their  long  excursions  through  for- 
ests, and  along  rivers  and  lakes,  in  pursuit  of  furs  and  game. 
Associating  and  identifying  themselves  with  them,  the 
French  soon  became  more  expert  hunters  and  trappers 
than  the  natives  themselves.    Adopting  their  manners  and 
tastes  at  first  from  policy,  they  soon  imbibed  them  by  in- 
clination and  temperament,  becoming  a  great  community 
of  woodmen.     In  their  hunting  and  trapping  expeditions 
along  the  vast  shores,  and  numberless  walers,  and  unexplo- 
red forests,  and  deserts  of  the  northern  lakes,  they  were  not 
long  in  obtaining  some  indefinite  conceptions  from  the  In- 
dians of  a  river  of  Vast  length  and  magnitude,  which  pur- 
sued a  course  directly  opposite  that  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  which  roiled  through  aln^ost  interminable  forests  into 
an  unknown  sea.  «        . 

We  have  seen,  that  the  English  bad  seen  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  soon  after  the  first  discovery  of  America. 
But  it  was  only  to  discover  an  apparent  arm  of  the  sea, 
winding  through  the  vast  marshes  of  the  Balize.  The  Span- 
ish colonists  of  Florida  must  have  often  seen  the  Mississip- 
pi. But  they  had  never  surveyed  it  much  above  the  mouth 
of  Red  RiVer,  that  is  to  say,  only  a  p^xirt  section  of  its  low- 
er course,  through  it9  deep  swamps  and  fortsts.    The  ex- 


.J.'.ysB': 


.1.  ^iA€- 


so 


INDIAN  WARS 


•  \ 

i 
1 


tent  of  the  vast 'stream,  the  almost  numberless  rivers  that 
enter  it,  the  great  and  fertile  valley  watered  by  it  had  not 
even  entered  their  conceptions. 

The  honor  of  the  efficient  discovery  of  the  Mississippi, 
probably  belongs  to  the  fathers  Marquette  and  Joliette, 
two  French  missionaries  from  Canada,  who  were  detailed 
for  that  ol)ject  by  M.  de  Talon.  Tliey  started  on  their 
journey  of  discovery  from  Quebec  with  three  associates. 
They  traversed  the  immense  lakes  in  a  birch  bark  periogue, 
ascended  lake  Michigan  to  the  bay  of  St.  Joseph,-  and 
thence,  it  is  supposed,  over  the  present  accustomed  portage 
frum  that  bay  to  the  Ouisconsin,  and  down  that  river  to  the 
Mississippi,  and  thence  down  that  stream,  through  its  for- 
ests, and  passing  the  mouths  of  its  tributaries,  to  the  Arkan- 
sas.  Those  early  French  discoverers  seem  all  to  have  been 
distinguished  by  a  full  measure  of  the  vivacity  of  their  na- 
tional  enthusiasm.  That  imagination  must  be  cold,  that 
does  not  kindle  in  view  of  the  grandeur  of  the  forests,  trib- 
utaries,  precipices,  prairies,  animals,  and  birds  discovered 
in  a  summer  descent  of  that  river,  even  at  the  present  time, 
when  the  visions  of  fancy  all  have  yielded  to  the  often  re- 
peated surveys  of  experience.  We  need  not  admire,  that 
those  explorers  saw  in  the  numberless  swans  and  water- 
fowls on  the  undisturbed  bosom  of  the  stream,  in  the  fishes 
beneath  its  pellucid  wave,  in  the  tangle  of  grape  vines 
on  its  shores,  in  the  buffaloes  and  other  wild  animals  of  its 
forests  and  prairies,  in  the  numerous  tribes  of  red  men  a- 
long  its  shores,  in  its  majestic  sweep  down  its  dark  woods, 
in  the  grand  bluffs,  the  influx  of  the  mighty  and  turbid  Mis- 
souri, the  grand-tower,  and  other  precipices  not  far  above 
the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  the  entrance  of  that  majestic  and 
placid  stream,  in  short,  of  forest,  prairie,  bird,  beast,  and 
production  along  such  a  prodigious  length  of  unexplored 
empire  of  the  fancy,  ample  materials  for  all  the  exag- 
gerations, which  we  find  recorded  in  the  journal  of  their 
voyage. 

It  could  not  be  expected,  that  these  fathers  on  their  re- 
turn-, Would  undervalue  the  merit  of  their  discovery  or  un- 
derrate the  beauty  and  advantages  of  the  river  and  country, 
they  had  expbrieicl.     M.  de  la  Salle,  commandant  effort 


OF  THE  WEST. 


21 


Frontiniac  on  lake  Ontario,  a  needy  adventurer,  flossessed 
of  rank,  courage,  and  talents,  yielded  his  imagination  to  the 
contemplation  of  this  discovery.  To  explore  the  Mississip- 
pi, which  had  as  yet  only  been  discovered,  promised  fame, 
wealth,  success.  The  exhausted  condition  of  his  finances 
offered  sufficiently  formidable  obstacles  to  an  enterprise, 
which  could  not  be  prosecuted  without  money.  At  the 
close  of  the  summer  of  1669,  by  the  greatest  exertions,  he 
had  built,  and  equipped  a  small  vessel,  called  the  Griffin, 
at  the  lower  extremity  of  lake  Erie,  near  the  present  posi- 
tion of  Buffalo.  It  was  the  first  structure  of  the  kind,  that 
bad  ever  been  seen  on  these  unexplored  inland  seas.  The 
company  consisted  of  thirty-four  men,  among  whom  was 
father  Lewis  Hennepin,  a  Franciscan  friar,  and  the  inter- 
esting chronicler  of  this  voyage.  In  their  progress  along 
the  lake  coast,  they  were  joined  by  many  other  woodmen, 
eager  to  explore  the  country  west  of  the  lakes.  By  the 
time  their  vessel  had  reached  the  hay  of  St.  Joseph,  it  was 
already  full-freighted  with  a  valuable  cargo  of  furs  and  pel- 
tries;' and  debarking  the  adventurers  on  the  western  shore 
of  the  lake,  the  vessel  was  despatched  back  with  her  cargo.- 
But  as  she  stopped  on  her  return,  she  Vas  arrested,  and 
burned  by  the  savages,  and  all  her  crew  massacred.  By 
this  disaster  the  number  of  the  adventurers  was  veducedto 
thirty-four,  and  their  communication  with  Canada  in  a 
measure  cut  off.  From  lake  Michigan  they  ascended  the 
Chicago;  and,  passing  through  the  table  lake  at  its  source, 
they  descended  the  de#PIaines  and  the  Illinois  to  Peoria 
lake,  where  they  built  #fort,  and  passed  the  winter.  They 
called  the  fort  Crete  coeur,  or  broken  heart,  either,  as 
some  say,  from  their  own  want  and  sufferings,  during  the 
winter,  or,  as  others  affirm,  from  its  being  the  position  of  a 
bloody  battle  between  the  Iroquois  and  Illinois  Indians,  in 
which  the  latter  were  defeated,  and,  beside  the  slain,  suf- 
fered a  loss  of  eight  hundred  prisoners,  carried  by  their  en- 
emy into  captivity.  In  the  sprmg  de  La  Salle  returned 
with  those  men  to  Canada,  to  procure  supplies  and  rein- 
fi>rcement8. 

In  the  absence  of  the  commandant,  the  father  Hennepin 
was  instructed  to  ascend  the  Mississippi  to  its  sources; 


22 


INDIAN  WARS 


f 


while  La*Salle  on  his  return  proposed  to  descend  the  river 
to  its  mouth ;  so  that  between  them,  the  exploration  of  the 
river  might  be  complete. 

The  father  left  the  fort  in  the  spring  with  two  associates^ 
to  accomplish  his  part  of  the  plan.  He  reached  the  Mis- 
sissippi, March  8th,  1680.  Having 'arrived  there,  wheth- 
er he  found  it  easier  to  descend,  than  ascend  the  current, 
or  whether  he  deemed  that  more  fame  would  result  from 
the  downward,  than  the  upward  exploration,  does  n()t  ap- 
pear. But  he  descended  the  Mississippi  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Illinois  to  the  Balize  in  sixteen  days.  The  discrep- 
ancies and  exaggerations  in  his  journal,  and  the  very  short 
period  occupied  in  the  descent,  have  induced  some  histori- 
ans to  view  his  whole  narrative  with  doubt.  But  a  peri- 
ogae  with  a  moderate  use  ofoars,  during  the  spring  floods, 
and  floating  night  and  day,  would  easily  descend  the  river 
from  that  point  to  the  Balize  in  sixteen  days.  Kis  journal 
records  a  fact  of  more  difficult  credibility,  than  the  rapidi- 
ty of  his  descent,  to  wit,  that  on  his  return  he  ascended  the 
river  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  ^o  the  falls  of  St.  Antho«> 
ny.  Thence  he  returned  u>  Oanada,  and  embarked  im- 
mediately for  Fraitce.  He  there  published  his  travels  in 
the  most  splendid  style,  and  dedicating  his  book  to  the  great 
minister  ttolbert.  The  country  received  the  name  of  Lou* 
isiana,  in  honor  of  Louis  XIV,  then  on  the  throne  of 
France. 

La  Salle,  in  the  mean  time,  delighted  with  the  ccuntry 
of  the  Illinois,  put  in  requisition  e^y  resource,  which  his 
exhausted  means  would  allow,  to  %imish  another  expedi- 
tion to  that  region.  A  crowd  of  adventurers  joined  him 
to  push  their  fortunes  in  these  unexplored  countries.  Thisy 
reached  the  Mississippi  in  1683.  With  these  associates 
he  founded  the  villages  of  Kaskaskia  and  Cahokia,  in  the 
fertile  »Uuvion  near  the  Mississippi,  since  called  the  A- 
merican  bottom;  and  these  are  the  oldest  settlements  in 
what  may  be  properly  called  the  Mississippi  valley.  Halv- 
ing given  his  friend  M.  de  Tonti  the  command  of  this  little 
eolony ,  he  hastened  back  to  Canada,  and  thence  to  France, 
in  order  to  enlist  the  French  minisby  in  co-q>eration  with 
bis  views. 


OF  THE  WEST.  91 

One  of  his  first  objects  was  to  convince  the  ministry  of 
(be  existence  of 'that  astonishing  inland  water  communi- 
cation, which  nature  has  furnished  between  the  gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  and  of  Mexico,  which  unites  these  distant  points 
by  an  almost  unbroken  chain  of  nearly  four  thousand  miles 
in  length.  He  first  comprehended,  and  suggested  that  plan, 
upon  which  the  French  government  afterwards  so  steadily 
acted,  of  extending  a  chain  of  communications  from  one 
point  to  the  other,  thus  drawing  a  hostile  arch,  like  a  bow, 
round  every  point  of  the  English  colonies,  save  that  which 
was  shielded  by  the  ocean :  and  thus  insulating  these  set- 
tlements within  this  impassable  barrier.  Communications 
being  thus  formed  between  Canada,  the  lakes,  and  the  up- 
per Mississippi,  it  was  necessary  to  the  completion  of  this 
plan  to  commence  an  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river. 

La  Salle  obtained  from  the  king  the  command  of  a  squad- 
ron to  explore  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  by  the  Mexi- 
can gnlf.  The  expedition  sailed;  August,  1684 ;  but  steer- 
ing too  far  to  the  westward,  instead  of  reaching  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi,  they  made  land  more  than  one  hundred 
leagues  west  of  the  Balize,  in  the  bay  of  St.  Bernard,  in 
the  present  country  of  Texas.  One  of  his  vessels  was 
stranded  on  the  bar  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay.  He  final- 
ly succeeded  in  landing  his  followers  on  the  banks  of  the 
Gaudaloupe.  They  soon  raised  a  fortification,  which  pro- 
tected them  from  the  continual  assaults  of  the  savages. 
But  they  were  visited  with  disease ;  and  in  want,  and  in 
utter  ignorance  of  their  position  on  these  desolate  prairies, 
they  found  their  condition  inexpressibly  lonely  and  hope- 
less. 

The  unquenchable  spirit  of  this  brave  man  impelled  him 
to  incredible  efTorts  to  rescue  the  band  of  associates,  thus 
attached  to  his  fortunes,  from  impending  destruction.  His 
first  effort  was  with  twenty  followers  to  reach  the,  Missis- 
sippi, and  ascend  it  to  the  colony  of  his  friend  M.  de  TontL 
The  nearest  point  of  the  Mississippi  on  the  line  of  his  march 
was  not  less  than  five  hundred  miles.  His  route  was 
through  a  country,  wholly  unknown,  and  peopled  with  va- 
rious tribes  of  Indians;  and  presented  an  endless  success- 


;#.. 


^11 


4 

vjl 

'(  il 


94 


INDIAN  WARS 


ion  of  swamps,  forests,  prairies,  and  rivers.  In  a^vrncing 
into  these  unlmown  solitudes,  the  Indiahs  received  them 
with  the  utmost  kindnessf  domesticating  the  wanderers, 
and  offermg  them  their  wives,  their  game,  and  the  shel- 
ter of  their  cabins,  with  a  boundless  hospitality.  Four  of 
his  licentious  followers  lefl  him  to  domesticate  themselves 
with  the  savages.  Sickness,  desertion,  and  weariness  com- 
pelled him  in  weakness  and  discouragement  to  retrace  his 
way  to  the  fort  of  ^t.  Bernard. 

^  In  a  few  days  they  resumed  courage  to  renew  their  at- 
tempt to  journey  over  land  to  the  Illinois.  Two  longmonths 
they  wandered  in  «,  north-west  direction  through  the  un- 
known forests  and  prairies.*'  At  length  they  encamped  in 
a  beautiful  plain,  where  game  abounded,  and  where  they 
were  welcomed  by  a  tribe  of  Indians.  De  La  Salle  here 
halted,  to  allow  his  exhausted  companions  relaxation  and 
repose.  The  Indians  made  them  free  of  their  cabins,  as 
on  their  former  journey.  Delighted  with  this  unbridled 
license,  wearied  with  toi^  and  excited  by  the  example  of 
the  deserters  on  the  former  trip,  these  unprincipled  recruits 
from  the  populace  of  a  French  ciiy,  abandoned  their  com- 
mander and  joined  the  Indians.  tJpbraided  by  their  com- 
mander, to  treachery  they  added  murder.  They  first  as- 
sassinated a  party  which  La  Salle  had  sent  out  to  hunt, 
among  which  was  his  nephew.  La  Salle,  aware  of  this 
mutinous  spirit,  and  uneasy  about  the  fate  of  the>hunting 
party,  set  out  in  search  of  them.  His  gloomy  presenti- 
ments were  soon  realized.  Scarcely  had  he  discovered 
their  dead  bodies  before  he  fell  himself  under  the  fire  of 
the  mutineers.  Thus  died  this  distinguished  adventurer, 
identified  with  the  earliest  periods  of  European  acquain- 
tance with  the  Mississippi  valley,  alike  illustrious  by  his 
merits,  his  courage,  and  his  misfortunes.  History  has  not 
clearly  settled  at  what  point  of  his  route  he  fell.  Some 
of  the  ill-fated  colony,  which  he  left  at  St.  Bernard,  were 
murdered  by  the  savages,  and  the  remainder  were  carried 
captive  into  the  interior  of  Mexico,  by  a"  Spanish  detach- 
ment from  New  Leon. 

•The  mutineers  soon  quarrelled  among  themselves.    In 
the  quarrel  the  two  persons  that  fired  upon  La  Salle,  in 


X 


OT  THE  WEST. 


25 


iTie  re-action  of  justice,  inflicted  death  upon  each  other. 
Two  priests  of  the  party  became  penitent  ibr  having  wink- 
ed at  the  assassination,  and  furnished  these  incidents.  Sev- 
en of  the  company  only  remained,  who,  guided  by  these 
priests,  and  conducted  by  the  Indian  tribes  on  their  way, 
finally  reached  the  Arkansas,  where  they  found  a  French 
colony  from  Canada,  that  had  just  formed  a  settlement 
there. 

.  Charlevoix  throws  a  melancholy  interest  over  the  fate 
of  the  other  great  discoverer  of  Louisiana,  father  Mar- 
quette. Pievious  to  his  discovery  of  the  Mississippi,  he 
had  been  a  laborious  and  devoted  missionary  among  the 
Canadian  tribes  of  Indians.  He  was  still  prosecuting  his 
travels  with  great  ardor.  On  his  return  from  Chicago  to 
Michilimacinac,  he  entered  a  river  of  lake  Michigan,  which 
bore  his  name.  He  requested  his  followers  to  land,  inti- 
mating a  presentiment  that  he  should  end  his  days  on  that 
lonely  shore.  They  landed,  and  at  his  request  raised  a 
rude  altar,  at  which  he  celebrated  mass,  afterwards  re- 
questing, that  he  might  be  left  to  offer  thanks  to  God  alone 
for  half  an  hour.  When  they  returned,  the  apostle  of  the 
wilderness  had  expired. 

Both  La  Salle  and  Marquette  furnish  affecting  exam- 
ples of  the  evaiiescance  of  human  records.  The  place 
where  they  were  buried,  is  unknown. 

The  Spaniards  and  the  French  seem  to  have  been  alike 
aware,  that  these  beginnings  would  be  the  germ  of  a  great 
empire.  The  whole  policy  of  each  nation  sufficiently  in- 
timates, with  how  much  jealousy  the  one  nation  watched 
the  colonial  movements  of  the  other.  The  Spaniards  of 
Florida  had  founded  Pensacola  in  west  Florida,  obvi,ously 
as  a  military  post,  to  watch  and  overawe  ihe  French  colo- 
nial attempts  in  these  regions.  Ibberville,  by  order  of  the 
king  of  France,  sailed  for  Louisiana,  accompanied  by  three 
considerable  ships  of  war.  In  March,  1699,  after  explor- 
ing much  of  the  Florida  shore,  they  entered  the  Mississip- 
pi. On  that  river  they  became  acquainted  with  many  of 
the  native  tribes,  and  entered  into  amicable  negotiations 
with  them.  The  expedition  terminated  by  establishing  a 
colony  at  Biloxi,  in  Biloxi  bay,  a  position  equally  remarka- 


#{« 


26 


INDIAN  WARS 


ble  for  its  health  and  sterility.  It  was  fortified,  garrisoned 
by  a  few  soldiers,  buccaneers,  and  Canadians,  and  hft  in 
the  command  of  M.  de  Bienville. 

In  May  following,  the  governor  of  Biloxi  set  out  on  an 
exploring  expedition  on  the  Mississippi.  In  that  river  he 
discovered  at  eighteen  leagues  from  the  sea,  an  English 
vessel  named  the  Ban,  which  had  left  a  consort  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  The  English  captain  assured  him,  that  he 
wished  to  plant  a  colony  there  under  the  protection  of  the 
French,  if  he  could  obtain  for  it  liberty  of  conscience,  in 
which  case  four  hundred  families  would  emigrate  to  it  from 
Carolina.  He  was  assured,  that  the  king  of  France  had 
not  expelled  heretics  from  his  kingdom  at  home,  to  estab- 
lish them  in  a  republic  in  the  new  world.  The  English- 
man was  in  doubt,  whether  he  was  in  the  Mississippi  or 
not;  and  Bienville,  glad  to  avail  himself  of  his  ignorance, 
assured  him,  that  this  was  not  the  Mississippi,  which  was 
much  farther  to  the  west,  but  a  river  of  Canada  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  his  master.  Deceived  in  this  way,  the  Eng- 
lish cartain  was  induced  to  put  his  ship  about,  and  to  leave 
the  river.  This  point  has  hence  borne  the  name  of  the 
English  turn. 

In  December,  1699,  Ibberville  arrived  with  two  large 
ships  of  war  from  France.  With  him  came  thirty  miners, 
and  sixty  Canadians  accompanied  by  M.  de  Seuer,  who  had 
been  an  extensive  traveller  in  Canada;  and  they  were  en- 
joined to  ascend  the  Mississipj,  ,  and  form  an  establish- 
ment near  its  sources,  and  particularly  to  explore  a  mine 
of  <crrc  vertCjwhich  had  been  discovered  in  that  region  by 
M.  de-Thuillier.  With  this  force  M.  do  Seuer  ascended  the 
Mississippi,  and  established  a  fort  on  an  island  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi, reputed  to  be  two  hundred  leagues  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Illinois.  It  was,  probably,  that  which  is  now  called 
Rock  island,  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  river.  It  was  intended 
to  overawe  the  Indians  at  the  sources  of  the  river,  and 
along  the  shores  of  lake  Superior.  He  returned  thence  to 
Montreal,  taking  with  him  chiefs  of  the  Sauteursand  Sioux, 
being  the  first  of  those  tribes,  that  had  ever  been  seen  in 
Canada.  They  were  won  by  the  gids  and  kindness  of  the 
jgovernor  of  that  city,  to  whom  they  presented  as  many  ar- 


OP  THE  WEST. 


27 


tows,  as  they  numbered  warriors  in  their  tribe.  These 
were  the  secrets  by  which  the  French  gained  such  an  un- 
bounded influence  over  the  Indians  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 

Ibberville,  informed  of  the  attempt  of  the  English  to 
establish  themselves  on  the  lower  Mississippi,  determined 
to  anticipate  them.  He  embarked  on  that  river  with  four 
small  vessels,  loaded  with  provisions,  and  manned  with  fif- 
ty men,  in  January,  1700.  In  a  position  eighteen  leagues 
above  the  Balize,  he  built  a  fort  on  the  bank  of  the  river, 
near  the  present  position  of  Placquemine. 

Accompanied  by  M.  de  Bienville  he  set  out  from  this 
fort  to  visit  the  famous  tribe  of  Natchez,  and  another  In- 
dian tribe  inhabiting  a  lake  south-west  of  the  Mississippi, 
believed  to  be  that  at  present  denominated  Sicily  ilsand. 
On  the  third  day  of  their  ascent,  they  reached  the  chief 
town  of  the  Natchez,  situated  near  the  present  town  of  that 
name.  They  found  a  missionary  from  Canada  already 
among  them.  The  great  sun  chief  oH\ie  Natchez  visited 
them  in  state,  borne  on  a  litter,  and  accompanied  by  six 
hundred  men.  They  noted  in  the  manners  of  this  chief 
more  dignity  and  native  politeness,  than  they  had  yet  seen 
in  any  of  these  petty  sovereigns.  His  authority  was  des^ 
potic.  On  the  decease  of  a  chief  of  hi  srank,  it  was  the 
custom  for  his  domestics  and  wives  to  devote  themselves  to 
death,  to  be  ready  to  serve  him  in  the  land  of  souls f  as  on 
earth.  Their  traditions  affirmed,  that  their  former  popu- 
lation had  exceeded  two  hundred  thousand ;  and  that  they 
had  then  possessed  nineteen  hundred  sun  chiefs;  though  at 
this  time  the  number  was  reduced  to  seventeen.  They  had 
a  temple  of  the  sun,  in  which  they  preserved  a  perpetual 
fire,  and  on  the  altar  of  which  they  offered  the  first  fruits 
of  tlieir  harvest,  and  of  the  proceeds  of  their  game.  It  was 
an  article  of  their  faith,  that  brave  warriors,  who  had  kil- 
led many  men  and  buffaloes,  would  dwell  in  the  world  to 
come,  in  a  charming  country,  abounding  in  abundance  of 
fish,  game,  and  fruits,  and  enjoying  perennial  sunshine; 
while  the  spirits  of  the  imbecile  and  peaceable  would  be 
exiled  to  a  land  of  lakes  and  marshes,  where  all  their  sub- 
sistence would  be  fish  and  alligators.  We  mav  remark, 
in  passing,  that  at  this  time  the  Mississippi  forests  aboun- 


96 


INDIAN  WARS 


ded  with  buffaloes  and  other  game)  rendering  the  subsist- 
ence of  these  first  French  expeditions  on  the  river,  affairs 
of  comparative  ease.  During  this  visit  of  the  French,  the 
temple  of  the  sun  was  struck,  by  lightning  and  burnt.  To 
appease  the  Great  Spirit,,  supposed  to  be  angry,  the  Natch- 
ez sacrificed  four,  children  in  the  flames,  and  would  have 
offered  more,but  for  the  determined  opposition  of  the  French, 

About  this  time  Bienville  conducted  an  exploring  expe- 
dition far  to  the  west.  He  ascended  the  Washita  to  the 
point  of  the  Warm  Springs  and  crossed  thence  to  lied  Riv- 
er,, passing  through  a  pleasant  country,  and  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  many  Indian  tribes  before  unknown,  partic- 
ularly the  Natchiti^Kjhes.  Biloxi  was  visited  by  a  Span- 
ish expedition,  attempting  in  vain  to  expel  the  French  fron; 
that  post.  It  was  soon  after  voluntarily  abandoned  by  the 
French,  and  a  fort  established  at  .Mobile  in  its  place. 

The  Canadian  wandert  rs  of  the  woods  and  waters,  in  ex- 
ploring the  St.  Peters  of  the  upper  Mississippi,  had  failed 
to  find  ores  of  copper  in  the  ierre  verte.  But  they  had  be- 
come well  acquainted  with  the  Sacs,  Sioux,  and  the  vari<> 
ous  dwellers  with  barbarous  names  in  those  far  wilderness- 
es. They  had  been  mostegregiously  deceived  by  the  con- 
fident tales  of  an  impostor,  who  pretended  ta  have  di3>> 
covered  mines  of  unexampled  richness  on  the  Missouri. 
Search  for  these  mines  brought  them  acquainted  with  the 
extensive  lead  mines,  which,  however,  yielded  gains  too 
slow  and  moderate  to  satisfy  their  greedy  and  inflamed 
imaginations. 

In  1702  news  arriVed  in  these  forests,  that  France  and 
Spain  had  declared  war  with  England.  In  1703  the  Eng- 
lish made  an  unavailing  effort,  with  a  fleet  of  seventeen 
vessels,  aided  by  two  thousand  savages,  to  take  St.  Augus- 
tine in  East  Florida.  At  an  early  period  in  the  annals  of 
these  settlements,  it  became  a  part  of  the  French  policy  to 
gather  from  the  streets  and  magdalens  of  *  he  French  towns 
poor  girls,  and  to  send  them  to  this  remote  colony,  where 
they  were  generally  married  to  the  colonists  on  the  night 
of  their  arrival.  The  history  of  one  of  the  girls,  thus  sent 
out,  presents  a  series  of  incidents  surpassing  in  interest 
and  pathos  the  fictions  of  roraance.    About  this  time  the 


or  THE  WEST. 


39 


afinffilsr  oC  Louisiana  begin  to  give  details  of  the  wars  be> 
tween  the  Choctaw?,  in  alliance  with  the  French,  and  the 
Chickasaws,  who  were  friends  of  the  English.  An  inci- 
dent,  which  occurred  near  Mobile  in  1705,  affords  stri- 
king views  of  savage  character. 

The  Chickasaws  had  sold  a  number  of  families  of  the 
Choctaws,  who  had  visited  them  in  time  of  peace,  as  slaves 
to  the  English.  This  exasperated  the  latter  to  revenge. 
It  happened,  that  seventy  Chickasaws  of  both  sexes  were 
on  a  vifc;it  to  the  French  fort  at  Mobile.  In  returning  home, 
they  were  obliged  to  pass  through  the  country  of  the  Choc- 
taws, now  at  war  with  them.  In  their  embarrassment, 
Ihey  besought  M.  de  Bienville  to  grant  them  an  escort  of 
French  soldiers,  to  protect  them  on  their  return.  He  con- 
sented, and  a  captain  and  twenty-five  soldiers  were  detail- 
ed for  this  service.  They  arrived  near  the  chief  Choctaw 
town.  The  Choctaw  chiefs  invited  the  Chickasaws  to  a 
talk,  assuring  them,  that  they  did  not  mean  to  hinder  their 
return,  but  only  to  reproach  them  for  their  perfidy  in  the 
hearing  of  the  French.  The  Chickasaws  had  it  not  in. 
their  power  to  refuse,  and  gathered  to  hear  the  talk.  The 
Choctaw  chief  placed  himself  in  a  large  open  space,  sur- 
rounded by  an  immense  circle  of  three  thousand  of  his  war- 
riors. He  then  began  his  harangue,  reproaching  them  in 
the  most  cutting  terms  with  the  falsehood  and  cruelty  of 
their  late  attempt  upon  his  people.  When  he  had  exhaust- 
ed his  stores  of  invective,  he  lowered  his  calumet,  as  the 
signal  for  their  death.  Instantly  thousands  of  arrows 
w6re  despatched  at  them,  and  they  fell.  In  circumscri- 
bing the  circle,  and  in  the  fury  of  their  revenge,  many 
Choctaws  were  killed  by  the  arrows  of  their  own  people. 
Among  others,  Bienville  was  slightly  wounded.  He 
was  escorted  back  to  Mobile  by  three  hundred  Choctaw 
warriors. 

Ibberville,  the  great  patron  of  this  first  French  colony, 
died  in  1707,  and  La  Salle,  one  of  the  patriarchs  of  Lou- 
isiana, in  1710.  In  this  year  an  English  buccaneer  with 
his  crew,  made  a  descent  upon  Isle  au  Dauphine,  plunder- 
ing  it  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  About  the  same  time  the 
French  and  Spanish  settlers  began  to  be  embarrassed  by 

3* 


30 


INDIAN  WARS'- 


the  interference  of  the  English  of  Carolina  with  the  Indi- 
ans in  their  vicinity,  contracting  alliances  with  them,  and 
presenting  a  menacing  aspect  upon  their  eastern  borders. 
In  1710  Bienville  had  orders  to  esiablish  settlements  at 
Natchez,  and  even  as  high  as  the  Wabash.  In  a  quarrel 
with  the  Natchez,  five  French  wtre  slain  by  them  and  six 
made  prisoners.  Arriving  there,  Bienville  summoned  the 
chiefs  to  a  conference,  in  which  they  readily  consented  to 
give  up  their  prisoners,  but  made  more  difficulty  about  sur- 
rendering the  authors  of  the  murders.  Upon  this,  the  mur- 
derers were  immediately  imprisoned  by  the  French.  He 
then  obtained  the  promise,  that  White-head,  the  chief  of 
the  murderers,  should  be  put  to  death.  Another  chief  of 
inferior  rank  immediately  offered  himself  to  die  in  his  stead. 
Bienville  finally  proposed  peace  to  them,  on  condition,  that 
they  should  send  him  the  head  of  Big-beard,  one  of  the 
murderers,  and  build  a  fort  for  the  French,  with  which  they 
complied,  and  thus  became  accessories  to  their  own  sub- 
jugation. 

In  October  of  1716,  M.  de  St.  Denis,  after  having  trav- 
elled to  Mexico,  arranged  a  plan  in  concert  with  the  Vice- 
roy of  that  country,  to  establish  missions  among  the  tribes 
of  natives  at  Nacogdoches,  Adayes,  and  Ayache ;  and  M. 
de  La  Motte  was  sent  to  commence  an  establishment  at 
Natchitoches  on  Red  River.  At  this  time,  the  colony  of 
Mobile  numbered  seven  hundred  souls,  and  possessed  four 
hundred  horned  cattle.  Hitherto  agriculture,  the  most  es- 
sential interest  of  a  colony,  had  been  almost  entirely  neg- 
lected. The  government  at  length  became  enlightened  to 
see  the  advantages  of  establishing  a  colony  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, that  should  devote  itself  to  raising  provisions.  The 
growing  of  silk,  indigo,  rice,  and  tobacco  were  the  first  ar- 
ticles proposed.  It  was  judged  also,  that  Florida  could 
furnish  the  parent  country  with  pitch,  tar,  and  othernaval 
supplies.  New  Orleans  was  selected  as  the  spot  on  which 
to  commence  the  new  agricultural  colony.  The  settle- 
ment was  commenced  in  1717.  The  forest  trees  were  cut 
down,  and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  were 
established  in  cabins  among  the  dead  trees,  whore  thai 
great  commercial  city  now  stands. 


^ 


$ 


OF  THE  WEST. 


31 


CHAPTER  III. 

ANGLO-AMEKICAN   SETTLEMENTS. 

The  first  efforts  towards  the  settlement  of  the  Mississippi 
valley  were  made  by  the  French,  at  its  three  remotest 
and  opposite  points,  on  the  Illinois,  and  at  Kaskaskia, 
whence  their  settlements  extended  across  the  Mississippi 
to  St.  Genevieve  and  St.  Louis;  on  the  Mexican  gulf  at 
Biloxi  and  Mobile,  and  on  the  lower  Mississippi  at  New 
Orleans. 

In  pursuance  of  their  great  plan  of  occupying  this 
whole  valley,  and  connecting  their  settlements  from  Can- 
ada to  the  Mexican  gulf,  by  a  litie  of  posts  with  water 
communications,  like  the  chord  of  an  immense  semicir- 
cle, stretching  along  the  whole  rear  of  the  English  settle- 
ments, they  gradually  extended  their  fortifications  to  the 
south  side  of  lake  Erie,  erecting  one  at  Presq'sle,  on  the 
present  site  of  Erie,  and  another  on  Boeuf,  on  French 
creek,  between  that  point  and  the  Ohio;  and  a  third  at 
the  delta  of  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monon- 
gahela.  The  advantages  of  that  admirable  position  did 
not  escape  the  eyes  of  a  people  remarkably  acute  to  dis- 
cern the  advantages  of  posts.  By  it  they  proposed  to  com- 
mand the  trade,  and  awe  the  obedience  of  the  Indians  of 
the  Ohio  and  the  lakes,  and  connect  the  southern  Canadian 
posts  by  the  long  and  unrivalled  communication  of  the 
Ohio  with  the  settlements  of  the  Wabash,  Illinois,  and 
lower  Mississippi. 

Indeed,  they  had  a  double  motive  to  the  occupancy  of 
this  fine  position.  The  Ohio  Company,  formed  in  Eng- 
land, had  for  its  express  object  the  occupancy  and  settle- 
ment of  the  country  on  the  Ohio.  At  the  recommenda- 
tion of  General  Washington,  they  sent  out  a  party  to  erect 
a  stockade  fort  on  this  very  delta,  where  the  Ohio  com- 
mences. This  party,  accompanied  by  a  detachment  of 
militia  from  Virginia,  arrived  at  this  point  in  1753.  They 
were  driven  oflfby  the  French,  who  immediately  proceeded 


32 


INDIAN  WAR9 


fo  anticipate  them  by  erectix<^  a  fort  on  the  present  posi' 
tion  of  Pittsburgh,  named  Du  Quesne,  after  the  governor 
of  Canada.  So  important  was  the  occupancy  of  this 
point  deemed  in  England,  that  the  ministry  oixlered  the 
assemblage  of  a  powerful  regular  force,  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Braddock,  to  take  it;  who,  aided  by  a 
large  body  of  the  provincial  militia,  set  off  through  the 
dark  forests,  and  over  the  pathless  mountains  for  the  west. 
From  the  time  this  army  had  crossed  the  AUeghanies,  its 
movements  were  continually  watched  by  spies  from  fort 
Du  Quesne,  whose  garrison  was  thus  daily  and  almost 
hourly  acquainted  with  its  route  and  progress.  General 
Braddock,  stubbornly  devoted  to  the  precision  of  European 
tactics,  moved  down  from  the  mountains  through  the  for- 
ests in  close  order,  as  though  marching  on  the  hostile  plains 
of  Europe.  His  army  had  just  crossed  the  Monongahela, 
and  were  defilint?  from  its  alluvion  through  a  ravine.  On 
its  upland  summit  lay  the  French  and  Indians,  concealed 
among  the  high  grass  and  timber.  The  Indians  exulted, 
and  assured  their  French  allies  that  they  would  shoot  them 
down  like  pigeons*  Washington,  thus  early  provident  in 
council,  foresaw  the  issue,  and  by  his  persuasion  attemp' 
ted  in  vain  to  avert  it.r  The  brave  but  obstinate  English 
general  rushed  on  to  his  fate*  The  Indian  yell  was 
raised,  and  an  invisible  and  invulnerable  enemy  poured  a 
fire  upon  them,  which  literally  mowed  down  their  ranks* 
Washington  was  spared,  apparently  as  by  a  miracle*  The 
forest  resounded  with  the  groans  of  the  dying.  The  com- 
mander soon  received  a  mortal  wound,  and  a  complete  rout 
ensued.  The  provincials  commanded  by  Washington  were 
the  last  to  retire,  covering  the  retreat  of  the  regulars^  and 
saving  all  that  escaped  that  ill-fated  day.  The  loss  of  the 
English  amounted  to  sixty-four  officers  out  of  eighty-five, 
and  about  seven  hundred  privates.  The  result  of  this  bat- 
tle gave  the  French  and  Indians  a  complete  ascendency 
on  the  Ohio.  The  incursions  of  the  savages  extended 
along  the  whole  western  frontier  of  Virginia,  and  even 
excited  the  apprehensions  of  the  settlements  east  of  the 
Blue  ridge.  But  in  1758  the  tide  of  war  again  began  to 
turn  against  tlie  French.    Fort  Frontiniac^  an  important 


.m 


OF  THE  WEST. 


French  post  on  lake  Ontario,  was  taken  by  a  British  de- 
tachment under  Colonel  Bradstreet.  This  facilitated  the 
reduction  of  fort  Du  Quesne  on  the  Ohio.  General  Forbes 
was  ordered  for  that  service,  assisted  by  a  body  of  provin- 
cials and  Virginia  regulars  under  Washington,  then  a 
colonel. 

Before  the  main  army  moved  from  Raystown,  in  Penn- 
sylvanic,  Major  Grant  was  detached  with  eight  hundred 
men,  partly  regulars  and  partly  provincials,  to  precede  the 
main  army,  and  reconnoitre  the  country  and  the  fort. 
This  force,  like  Braddock's,  imprudently  advanced  into  an 
ambuscade  of  the  French  garrison  of  fort  Du  Quesne, 
was  surrounded  by  the  enemy,  and  after  a  brave  but  una- 
vailing struggle,  lost  three  hundred  men  killed  and  wouii- 
ded,  and  Major  Grant  and  nineteen  officers  taken  prisoners. 

General  Forbes,  with  the  main  army,  amounting  to  eight 
thousand  men,  at  length  advanced  from  Raystown,  slowly 
marching  towards  the  Ohio,  which  they  did  not  reach  until 
November.  The  French,  incapable  of  resisting  a  force 
so  formidable,  abandoned  the  fort  the  evening  preceding 
the  arrival  of  the  army,  and  escaped  in  their  boats  down 
the  Ohio,  to  join  the  colony  on  the  Illinois..  The  English 
immediately  took  possession  of  this  important  post,  which, 
in  compliment  to  the  popular  and  successful  British  minis- 
ter, they  named  fort  Pitt,  and  afterwards  Pittsburgh.  This 
was  the  first  English  establishment  on  the  Ohio.  From 
that  period  we  date  the  commencement  of  Anglo-Ameri- 
can settlements  in  this  valley. 

But  even  previous  to'  this,  an  attempt  had  been  made  by 
two  men  of  the  name  of  Tygart  and  Files  to  establish 
their  families  on  an  upper  water  of  the  Monongahela. 
The  valley  in  which  they  selected  their  abode,  still  bears 
the  name  of  Tygart's  valley,  and  his  name  has  been  giv- 
en to  the  east  fork  of  the  Monongahela.  The  family  of 
Files  soon  fell  victims  to  the  Indians,  and  that  of  Tygart, 
warned  by  their  fate,  abandoned  the  country  in  1754. 

Not  long  after,  Thomas  Eckerly  and  two  brothers,  of  the 
sect  denominated  Dimkards,  emigrating  from  Pennsylva- 
nia to  the  west,  and  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  a  creek 
emptying  into  the  Monongahela,  ten  miles  below  what  is. 


ilr- 


m 


84 


INDIAN  WARS 


now  Morgantown,from  that  circumstance  called  Dunkard^ 
creek.  These  harmless  religionists  here  passed  years  in 
sylvan  abundance  and  solitude,  unmolested  by  the  Indians, 
who  were  carrying  desolation  among  the  white  settlements 
in  every  direction.  Their  being  thus  remarkably  spared, 
subjected  them  to  the  suspicion  of  being  in  confederacy 
with  them,  and  acting  as  their  spies.  The  sect  was  odious, 
and  the  elder  Eckerly,  on  his  return  from  a  visit  to  the  old 
settlements,  was  imprisoned.  It  was  with  ditficulty  that 
-  he  at  length  prevailed  on  the  officer  of  the  nearest  fron- 
tier post,  with  a  guard,  to  accompany  him  to  his  establish- 
ment. On  approaching  the  solitary  abodes  of  these  inof- 
fensive people,  their  cabins  were  found  in  ashes,  the  muti- 
lated bodies  of  the  inhabitants  strewed  the  yard,  and  the 
ruthless  vengeance  of  savage  desolation  had  swept  over 
their  pleasant  little  fields.  It  was  an  affecting  testimony 
to  their  innocence  of  the  charge  of  confederacy  with  the 
Indians.    Mr.  Eckerly  abandoned  the  country. 

In  1758,  a  party  conducted  by  Thomas  Decker,  com- 
menced a  settlement  on  the  Monongahela,  at  the  mouth  of 
what  is  thence  called  Decker^s  creek.  But  in  the  ensuing 
spring,  the  Dela wares  and  Mingoes  assaulted  it,  murdered 
most  of  its  inmates,  and  completely  broke  up  the  estab* 
lishment.  Soon  afler  the  capture  of  fort  Du  Quesne,  a 
small  fortification  had  been  established  at  the  present  posi- 
tion of  Brownsville,  on  the  Monongahela,  then  known  by 
the  name  of  Redstone  fort.  It  was  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Paul.  One  of  the  survivors  of  Decker's  company 
reached  there,  with  the  intelligence  of  the  destruction  of 
that  settlement.  The  garrison  was  too  weak  to  senda  de- 
tachment in  pursuit  of  the  murderers.  But  Captain  .Paul 
despatched  a  runner  with  the  intelligence  to  fort  Pitt. 
Captain  Gibson  of  that  fort,  started  with  thirty  men  in 
pursuit  of  the  Indians.  Although  the  perpetrators  had 
retreated  beyond  his  reach,  he  overtook  a  small  party 
of  Mingoes  near  the  present  site  of  Steubenville.  The 
Little  Eagle,  a  Mingo  chief,  headed  this  party.  Captain 
Gibson  came  upon  them  at  day-break.  As  soon  as  the 
American  leader  was  disco\ered  by  the  Indian  chief, 
the  latter  raised  the  war-hoop  and  fired  upon  him.    The 


§ 


OF  THE  WEST. 


35 


ball  passed  through  Captain  Gibson's  hunting  shirt,  and 
wounded  a  soldier  behind  him.  The  chief,  in  return  for 
his  fire,  received  from  Gibson  a  swoi*d  cut  of  such  prodi- 
gious force  as  completely  to  sever  his  head  from  his  body. 
Two  other  Indians  were  killed,  and  the  remainder  escaped. 

There  were  a  number  of  captive  Americans  at  the  Min- 
go towns,  when  Little  Eagle's  discomfitted  party  returned. 
Several  of  them  were  sacrificed  to  appease  his  shade.  The 
remainder  were  restored  at  the  peace  of  1765.  They 
stated,  that  the  survivors  of  Little  Eagle's  party  affirmed 
that  Captain  Gibson  had  cut  off  that  chief's  head  by  a  sin- 
gle stroke  of  his  long  knife.  A  war  dance  ensued,  inter- 
spersed with  cries  for  revenge  on  the  long  knife  warrior. 
The  name  thus  elicited  went  into  a  general  appellation, 
and  the  Virginia  warriors,  and  the  Anglo-American  militia 
in  general,  were  thenceforward  designated  by  the  western 
Indians  as  the  long  knives. 

In  presenting  an  outline  of  the  annals  of  the  first  settle- 
ment of  west  Pennsylvania  and  west  Virginia,  we  must 
not  forget,  that  Pittsburgh,  Redstone,  and  the  first  Virginia 
settlements  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  were  the  germs  of 
the  Anglo-American  settlements  in  the  great  Ohio  valley. 
Thence  proceeded  the  pioneers,  who  settled  Ohio  and 
Kentucky.  Thither  they  returned,  in  the  hour  of  defeat 
and  dismay,  to  recruit  their  numbers,  and  to  resume  cour- 
age for  a  return  to  their  abandoned  cabins,  in  the  far 
and  fertile  wilderness.  The  names  of  fort  Pitt,  Redstone, 
Point  Pleasant,  and  Powell's  valley,  recur  at  every  period 
of  the  Kentucky  and  Ohio  annals,  as  the  homes  of  secu- 
rity and  supply,  to  which  the  settlers  fled  from  Indian 
['plunder  and  massacre,  and  whence  expeditions  returned 
to  resume  their  forsaken  enterprises. 

But  to  enter  with  any  particularity  into  the  relation  of 
individual  efforts  and  sufferings,  and  less  important  tri- 
umphs and  defeats,  would  only  render  our  chronicles  a 
confused  mass  of  rencontres  of  the  rifle  and  tomahawk, 
of  burnings,  murder,  captivities,  and  reprisals,  which 
confound  by  their  number,  and  weary  by  their  monotony 
and  resemblance.  Jf^few'more  prominent  events  only 
can  be  selected,  as  samples  of  the  rest.    A  few  names 


^K^ 


*  0^ 


86 


INDIAN  WARS 


only,  from  the  long  catalogue  of  pionoers,  can  be  trans- 
ferred to  this  summary.  The  memory  of  the  hundreds, 
necessarily  omitted,  lives,  where  they  would  have  wished 
it  to  live,  in  the  winter^s  evening  cabin  recital,  in  the  rus- 
tic  mountain  ballad,  in  the  rude  but  interesting  chronicles 
of  border  warfare. 

A  dreary  uniformity  of  incident  marks  all  the  story  of 
the  commencing  settlements  in  every  part  of  our  country, 
from  Plymouth  to  Jamestown,  and  from  the  lakes  to  the 
Balize.  There  are  examples,  indeed,  which  present  the 
French  forming  colonies  among  the  Indians,  and  remain- 
ing in  profound  peace.  But  it  was  by  amalgamating  with 
them,  losing  their  own  identity,  and  becoming  savagea 
The  case  of  the  colony  of  William  Penn,  presents  only  a 
seeming  exception.  It  grew  out  of  circumstances,  that 
never  occurred  before  or  since;  and,  when  analyzed,  will 
be  found  to  be  no  anomaly  from  the  general  aspect. 

In  tlie  whole  history  of  the  incipient  settlement  of  our 
country,  not  one  solitary  instance  of  an  attempt  to  settle 
an  unoccupied  tract,  claimed  by  the  natives,  is  to  be  found, 
which  was  not  succeeded  by  all  the  revolting  details  of  In- 
dian warfare.  It  is  of  little  importance  to  enquire,  which 
party  was  the  aggressor.  The  natives  were  not  sufficient 
civilians  to  distinguish  between  the  right  of  empire  and 
the  right  of  soil.  Beside  a  repulsion  of  nature,  an  incom- 
patibility of  character  and  pursuit,  they  constantly  saw  in 
every  settler  a  new  element  to  effect  their  expulsion  from 
their  native  soil.  Our  industry,  fixed  residences,  modes, 
laws,  institutions,  schools,  religion,  rendered  an  union  with 
them  as  incompatible  as  with  animals  of  another  nature. 
The  crime  of  aggression,  force,  and  final  extinction,  cha^ 
ged  upon  the  whites,  in  relation  to  the  natives,  and  discus- 
sed on  the  narrow  principles  of  crimination  and  recrimi* 
nation,  has  only  been  discussed  hitherto  in  a  manner  worthy 
of  congress  wranglers,  and  in  a  style  of  narrow  puerility. 
In  the  unchangeable  order  of  things,  two  such  races  can 
not  exist  together,  each  preserving  its  co-ordinate  identity. 
Either  this  great  continent,  in  the  order  of  Providence^ 
should  have  remained  in  the  occup^pcy  of  half  a  million 
of  savages,  engaged  in  everlasting  conflicts  of  their  pecu^ 


■*ii 


OF  THE  WEST. 


87 


liar  warfare  with  each  other,  or  it  must  have  become,  as 
it  has,  the  domain  of  civilized  millions.  It  is  in  vain  to 
charge  upon  the  latter  race  results,  which  grew  out  of  the 
laws  of  nature,  and  the  universal  march  of  human  erents. 
Let  the  same  occupancy  of  the  American  wildemegs  by 
Ithe  municipal  European  race  be  repeated,  if  it  could  be, 
junder  the  control  of  the  most  philanthropic  eulogists  of  the 
saVages,  and  every  reasoning  mind  will  discover,  that  in 
[the  gradual  ascendency  of  the  one  race,  the  decline  of  the 
)ther  must  have  been  a  consequence,  and  that  substantial- 
ly the  same  annals  would  be  repeated,  as  the  dark  and  re- 
krolting  incidents  which  we  have  to  record.  We  do  not 
Bay,  that  the  aggression  has  not  been  in  irmumerable  in- 
stances on  the  part  of  the  whites.  We  do  not  deny,  that 
^he  white  borderers  have  too  often  been  more  savage,  than 

le  Indians  themselves.  We  abhor  injustice  as  much  when 
)rocticed  towards  the  whites  as  the  Indians ;  and  we  allirm 
m  undoubting  belief,  from  no  unfrequent  nor  inconsidcra- 
)le  means  of  observation,  that  aggression  has  commence^ 
the  account  current  of  mutual  crime,  as  a  hundred  to  one 
|>n  the  part  of  the  Indians.     It  has  been  the  intercourse  of 

race  more  calculating,  more  wi^e,  with  ampler  means, 

is  admitted,  but  without  the  instinct  of  gratuitous  cruelty, 
>r  a  natural  propensity  to  war  as  a  pursuit,  with  another 

ice  organized  to  the  love  of  the  horrible  excitement  of  war 
Ind  murder  for  their  own  sake.   Circumstances,  fear,  impo- 

3nce  may  restrain  them.    But  still  in  the  Indian  animal 
[nd  moral  structure,  their  ancient  propensities  would  be  * 

)und,  we  doubt  not,  as  vigorous  as  ever  among  those  rem- 
nants the  most  subdued  and  modified  by  our  institutions. 

irive  them  scope,  development,  and  an  object,  place  them 
view  of  an  equal  or  inferior  enemy,  and  their  instinc- 

|ve  nature  would  again  raise  the  war-hoop,  and  wield  the 

lalping  knife,  and  renew  the  Indian  warfare  of  the  by-gone 

lys. 
The  chronicles  of  the  commencing  settlements  of  West 

[ennsylvania  and  Virginia  redeem  from  oblivion  many 

pits,  hitherto  almost  unrecorded  by  history,  of  ihe  activ- 
vigilance,  and  efficiency  of  General  Washington,  in 

ivancing  these  settlements,  and  repelling  pr  punishing 

4 


I 


^^ 


■f  TO  INDIAN  WARS 

border  aggressions.  All  the  great  enterprises  for  this  pur- 
pose seem  to  have  been  suggested,  and  many  of  them  car- 
ried into  effect  by  him. 

Among  the  actual  warrior  pioneers,  we  find  the  con- 
spicuous names  of  Col.  Lewis,  Capts.  Hogg,  Paul,  and  M'-  [ 
Nutt.  They  furnish  striking  examples  of  that  hardy  race, 
who  were  the  advance  guard  of  the  subduers  of  the  wil- 1 
derness,  whom  no  certainty  of  lal^r,  solitude,  or  suffering! 
could  deter,  and  no  form  of  danger  or  death  daunt,  so  as  to, 
induce  them  to  abandon  their  purpose  to  fix  their  families  j 
in  the  remote  wilderness. 

The  first  expedition  from  Virginia,  to  avenge  the  de-| 
struction  of  the  Roanoke  settlement  by  a  party  of  Shaw- 
nese  in  1757,  was  headed  by  these  intrepid  borderers.  Bel 
side  thg  chastisement  of  the  Indiansj  it  had  for  its  objecti 
the  establishment  of  a  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Sandy  I 
of  the  Ohio;  and  to  check  the  Indian  communications  bei 
tween  the  upper  French  forts  and  Galliopolis,  a  FrenchI 
settlement  on  the  Ohio.  The  expedition,  after  encounter^ 
ing  every  form  of  sutfering  from  famine  and  fatigue,  whol- 
ly failed,  many  of  the  party  perishing  miserably  from  hunj 
ger.  The  destruction  of  Sivert's  fort  on  the  upper  tract! 
of  a  water  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  treacherous  massacre! 
of  its  inmates,  after  they  had  surrendered  on  the  promisej 
of  being  spared,  and  the  massacre  of  1671,  on  the  settlef 
ments  of  James  river  are  passed  over,  as  these  events  (liii| 
^  not  happen  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio. 

The  escape  of  Mrs.  Denis,  who  had  been  taken  captive! 
in  the  James  river  settlement,  in  1761,  presents  a  parallel! 
to  similar  narratives  of  female  captives  in  the  early  histonl 
of  the  settlement  of  New  England.  Her  husband  havinjj 
been  slain,  after  being  taken  captive,  they  conducted  heJ 
over  the  mountains  and  through  the  forests  to  the  Chilil 
cothe  towns  north  of  the  Ohio.  There  she  seemed  to  conl 
form  to  their  ways,  painted  and  dresrod  herself,  and  liveoj 
as  a  squaw.  Added  to  this.,  she  gained  fame  by  attendinjl 
to  the  sick,  both  as  a  nurse  and  a  physician ;  and  becanHJ 
so  celebrated  for  her  cures,  as  to  obtain  from  that  very! 
perstitious  people  the  reputation  of  being  a  necromancer,! 
and  thvi  honor  paid  to  a  person  supposed  to  have  power  will 
the  Great  Spirit. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


39 


In  1763  she  left  them,  under  the  pretext  of  obtaining  me- 
dicinal herbs,  as  she  had  ofter  done  before.     Not  returning 
at  night,  her  object  was  suspected,  and  she  vvas  pin'suv^d. 
To  avoid  leaving  tracesof  her  path,  she  crossed  the  Sciuto 
three  times,  and  was  making  her  fourth  crossing  forty  miles 
below  the  towns,  when  she  was  discover^,  and  fired  unun 
without  effect.     But  in  the  speed  of  her  fli^t,  she  wound- 
ed her  foot  with  a  sharp  stone,  so  as  to  be  unable  to  pro^ 
ceed.     The  Indians  had  crossed  the  river,  and  were  just 
I  behind  her.     Sb    eluded  their  pursuit  by  hiding  in  a  hollow 
I  sycamore  log.     They  frequently  stepped  on  the  log  that 
concealed  her,  and  encamped  near  it  for  the  night.     Next 
morning  they  proceeded  in  their  pursuit  of  herj  and  she 
started  in  another  direction  as  fast  as  her  lameness  would 
permit,  but  was  obliged  to  remain  near  that  place  three 
[  days.     She  then  set  off  for  the  Ohio,  over  which  she  rafted 
I  herself  at  tha  mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhawi.,  on  a  drift  log; 
I  travelling  only  by  night  through  fear  of  discovery,  and  sub' 
sisting  only  on  roots,  wild  fruits,  and  the  river  shell  fish. 
I  She  reached  the  Green  Briar,  having  passed  forests,  rivers, 
I  and  mountains  more  than  three  hundred  miles.    Ii^re  she 
I  laid  down  exhausted,  and  resigned  herself  to  die,  when 
j  providentially  she  was  discovered  by  some  of  the  people 
of  that  settlement,  and  hospitably  treated  at  one  of  their 
I  habitations. 

The  settlement  paid  a  dreadful  penalty  for  this  hospita* 

[ble  act.    Sixty  warriors  came  to  it,  pretending  the  niost 

[perfect  friendship,  for  it  was  a  time  of  peace.    While  the 

inhabitants  were  feasting  these  seeming  friendly  Indians, 

they  rose  and  killed  nearly  every  man  in  the  settlement, 

[carrying  the  women  and  children  into  captivity. 

An  affecting  incident  occurred  from  an  assault  of  fifty 
[Delaware  and  Mingo  warrio-''  upon  thesettleme.it  of  Big 
Sandy  in  1761.  Having  committed  a  number  of  massa- 
cres, they  were  pursued  by  a  party  under  Capt.  Paul.  He 
overtook  an  encampment  of  a  division  of  this  party,  who 
were  guarding  some  prisoners.  It  was  night.  Uncon- 
scious that  there  were  prisoners  among  them,  Paul  fired 
upon  them,  killing  three  warriors,  and  wounding  more. 
The  remainder  fled.     Capt.  Paul  rushed  on  the  camp,  to 


4 


'im. 


'I 


h! 


•*■ 


i^f 


40 


INDIAN  WA.RS 


secure  the  wounded  and  arrest  the  fugitives.  One  of  the 
party,  seeing  what  appeared  a  squaw,  sitting  in  a  sort  of 
composure  of  defiance,  was  about  to  dispatch  her  with  hig 
tomahawk.  Capt.  Paul  threw  himself  between  the  assail- 
ant, and  the  victim,  and  received  the  blow  intended  for  her 
on  his  arm,  remarking,  that  it  was  a  shame  to  kill  a  wo- 
man, though  she  were  a  squaw.  It  was  Mrs.  Gunn,  an 
English  lady,  who  had  been  an  inmate  in  the  fi.mily  of  his 
father  in  law ;  and  who  had  been  made  a  captive  a  few- 
days  before,  when  her  husband  and  her  two  children  were 
slain.  When  asked  why  she  had  not  made  herself  known, 
she  replied,  'my  parents  are  dead,  my  husband  and  chil- 
dren are  slain;  I  have  none  for  whom  I  wish  to  live,  no 
wishes,  no  hopes,  no  fears.     I  would  as  soon  die  as  not. 


I 


i! 


1)  1 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ANNALS  OF  WEST  PENNSYLVANIA  ANO   VIRGINIA. 

Some  circumstances  of  horror  occurred  at  this  time  in 
these  annals,  of  a  new  complexion  even  in  the  history  of 
Indian  warfare.  A  scalping  party  of  fifty  savages  in  1754, 
returning  from  their  customary  murders  and  burnings  with 
twenty  scalps  and  some  prisoners,  on  the  Susquehannah 
thtsy  murdered  the  wholefamily  of  Jacob  Miller;  proceed- 
ing thence  to  the  house  of  George  Folk,  kilUng  him,  his 
wife  and  nine  children,  and  deliberately  cutting  their  bod- 
ies into  small  fragments,  and  throwing  them,  piece  by  piecC; 
to  the  swine.  Two  of  their  prisoners  were  tied  to  trees, 
around  which  fires  were  kindled,  and  the  victims  were 
gra'^ually  scorched  to  death.  A  third  was  placed,  with 
his  arms  closely  pinioned,  in  a  hole  in  the  earth,  ih'  ^oil 
of  which  was  closely  rammed  round  his  body,  so  that  i.. 
head  only  was  above  the  gi-ound.  He  was  then  scalped; 
and  after  a  long  interval,  a  fire  was  kindled  near  his  head. 
The  victim  declared  that  his  braia  boiled  in  his  head,  aod 


OF  THE  WEST. 


41 


V. 


impTored  instant  death  in  vain.     His  agony  continued,  un- 
til the  pupils  of  his  eyes  burst  from  their  sockets. 

These  sMjilieDij^horrors  sometimes  drew  down  retalia- 
tion upaaa^inrt^ent,  as  well  as  the  guilty.  An  associ- 
ation, de«BBkt^  the  'Paxton  Boys,'  broke  into  a  settle- 
ment of  ^K»ga  Indians,  not3d  for  their  harmlessness. 
The  whole,  tlpfe  number  of  forty,  were  massacred.  The 
christian  Indians  of  Naquetank  and  Nain  were  preserved 
from  a  similar  fate  only  by  the  interposition  of  the  g(>vern- 
ment,  and  their  removal  to  safe  keeping  in  Philadelphia. 

The  peace  of  1765  did  not  put  an  end  to  the  Indian  war. 
The  hostile  ^vages  continued  in  force  east  of  fort  Pijt 
It  became  necessary  to  furnish  that  place  a  supply  of  pro- 
visions. A  quantity  was  forwarded  under  a  strong  guard, 
commanded  by  Col.  Boquet  of  the  regulars.  The  Indians 
assailed  the  guard  at  Turtle  creek  in  a  narrow  defile^  and 
a  most  obstinate  conflict  e>:sued  for  many  houys.  The 
fierceness  of  ihe  assault  may  be  calculated  from  the  fact, 
that  the  Bridsh  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  exceeded  one 
hundred ;  and  that  of  the  savages  was  reputed*  at  nearly 
the  same  number,  among  whom  were  many  of  their  most 
noted  chiefs  and  warriors.. 

This  repulse  saved  fort  Pitt,  humbled  the  savagr  s,  and 
disposed  them  to  a  peace,  by  which  thi'ee  hundred  prison-  * 
ers  were  immediately  redeemed,  and  the  redemption  of  ma- 
ny others  in  dispersed  positions  stipulated. 

An  amusing  incident  occurred  at  this  time,  calculated 
to  divert  attention  from  these  revolting  details.  By  a  roy- 
fi\  proclaipation,  every  person  was  forbidden  to  trade  with 
ne  Indians,  to  prevent  their  obtaining  guns  aiid  ammuni- 
'i'.ij.  In  despite  of  this,  a  cavalcade  of  many  wagons,  ^j* 
18?  with  ammunition,  was  despatched  from  Philadelphia 
"f  •  fort  Pitt.  Capt.  Smith,  a  distinguished  backwoods- 
man, who  had  been  in  a  long  captivity  among  the  Indians, 
and  conapicuous  in  the  border  wars,  collected  a  number  of 
hisfrierKls,  called  'black  boys,'  from  being  painted  as  In- 
dians. The^  men  he  distributed  behind  the  trees,  and  as 
the  o&viilcade  began  to  appro-.oh  Sideling  hill,  they  were 
ordefdi*tafire  upon  the  horses.  The  conductors  finding  the 
konieis  falling  under  them,  came  to  a  halt,  and  capitulated 

f 


Sfevi. 


f-  . .  .. 


ii 


^^ 


,.t 


!^ 


m:i 


i 


\h 


42 


INDIAN  WARS 


with  Capt.  Smith.  They  were  allowed  to  take  their  pri* 
vate  property ;  but  all  the  rest,  consisting  of  powder,  lead, 
warlike  stores,  and  various  articles  for  traffic  with  the  In- 
dians, was  burned  or  destroyed.  The  discoo^ted  traders 
obtained  from  a  neighboring  post  a  party  olHphland  sol- 
diers, who  arrested  and  imprisoned  someju^ese  ^black 
boys,'  as  robbers.  Capt.  Smith  was  not  m^aon  to  leave 
his  enterprise  in  an  unfinished  state.  He  collected  three 
hundred  riflemen,  marched  to  ibrt  Loudon,  where  his  com- 
panions were  imprisoned;  dat  down  against  it,  commen- 
"  eed  retaliation,  and  under  a  flag  of  truce,  soon  obtained  the 
release  of  the  prisoners,  who  returned  in  joy  and  triumph 
^their  homes.  On  the  occasion,  verses  not  unlike  Yan- 
kee doodle,  were  composed,  and  sung  in  conHnemoration 
i  'hr  <black  boys'  triumph,  to  the  tune  o^'^Bhickjoke!"* 

ii  the  peace  of  1765,  the  country  about  fort  Pitt  and 
Red  ^jtojpe  on  the  Monongahela,  began  to  settle  rapidly. 
•  We  can  merely  indi..ate  the  names  of  some  of  the  more 
conspicuous  pionesrs.  Tegard,  Province,  Crawford,  and 
Hardin  settled  at  Red"  Stone  in  1767  j  the  Pringles,  Cart- 
wrights.  Hacker  and  Rule,  on  the  upper  wafers  of  the  Mo- 
nongahela in  1769.  Van  Metre,  Swan,  Hughes, and  oth- 
ers, settled  about  the  same  time  near  the  mouth  of  Muddy 
creek  of  the  Monongahela;  and  the  Zanes,  digtinguished 
in  the  settlement  of  West  Virginia,  commenced  establish- 
ments at  Wheeling.  With  them  were  associated  in  this 
settlement  Seff*er,  Doddridge,  Biggs,  Greathouse,  Baker, 
and  Swearingen.  In  1772  the  beautiful  country,  called 
Tygart's  valley,  on  the  east  fork  of  the  Monongahela,  was 
settled,  and  the  names  of  settlers  in  West  Pennsylvania 
I  become  too  numerous  to  particularize.  From  these  points 
10^'     •  ihe  emigration  began  to  overflow  into  Kentucky.. 

From  the  peace  of  1765  to  1774  was  a  period  of  com- 
parative peace  and  repose  to  the  frontier  settlenients.  The 
Indians  then  renewed  hostilities,  stimulated  by  repeated 
outrages  and  murders  practiced  upon  them  by  (he  whites, 
during  this  intervaL  The  murders  at  Captina,  those  in- 
flicted  by  the  notorious  Ryan,  the  unprovoked  killing  of 
the  Bald  EaglCy  and  various  other  murders  were  of  the 
number.    It  was  about  this  time,  that  Logan  made  his  fa- 


M:    ^ 


> 


OF  THE  WEST. 


mous  speech,  to  which  the  pen  of  Mr.  Jefferson  has  given 
so  much  celebrity.  Logan  was  distinguished  for  his  elo- 
quence, and  was  the  son  of  Skilleinus,  a  distinguished  Cay- 
uga chief,  who  set  his  son  an  example  of  devoted  attach- 
ment to  tlie  English.  After  the  close  of  Dunmore's  war, 
in  which  Logan  lost  all  his  relatives,  he  became  melan- 
choly and  addicted  to  drunkenness  and  mental  derangement. 
It  was, in  such  a  frame  of  mind  that  he  affirmed,  that  he 
would  not  turn  on  bis  heel  to  save  his  life.  On  his  route 
from  Detroit  to  Miami,  he  was  murdered  in  a  way  that  is 
not  related. 

The  necessary  brevity  of  these  sketches  induces  us  to 
pass  over  most  of  the  memorable  incidents  of  Indian  war- 
fare in  these  regions,  allowing  us  only  space  for  a  short 
narrative  of  the  celebrated  action  at  Point  Pleasant,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Big  Kenhawa,  in  September,  1744. 

A  campaign  had  been  iij^^paration,  to  chastise  the 
savages  for  their  numerous  anHrcmorseless  border  assaults 
in  time  of  peace.  The  army  destined  for  this  expedition, 
was  composed  chiefly  of  volunteer  militia,  collected  west 
of  the  Blue  ridge.  One  division  was  commanded  by  Lord 
Dunmore,  and  the  other  by  GeneralAndrew  Lewis.  The 
forces  started  from  camp  Union,  now  Lewisburg,  nine 
miles  west  of  the  White  Sulphur  Spirngs. 

They  were  ninete(3n  days  in  mar<^ng  through  the  rug- 
ged and  mountainous  forest  to  the  Ohio;  and  not  without 
heart-burnings  and  separations  and  divisions  from  the  dif- 
ficulty of  settling  the  point  of  priority  of  command.  One 
division  only,  that  commanded  by  General  Lewis,  reached 
Point  Pleasant.  The  forces  under  Lord  Dunmore  pro- 
ceeded in  another  direction,  intending  to  cross  the  Ohio, 
and  march  against  the  towns  of  the  Shawnese» 

General  Lewis  was  ordered  to  join  forces,  and  proceed 
with  him  to  that  point.  Accordingly  he  made  prepara- 
tions for  crossing  his  troops  to  the  north  bank  of  the  Ohio, 
when  news  were  brought  him,  that  a  body  of  the  enemy 
had  been  found  drawn  up  in  close  order,  and  covering  four 
acres  of  ground.  Cols.  Lewis  and  Fleming  were  imme- 
diately ordered  out  to  meet  them.  They  formed  their  troogs 
into  two  lines,  and  had  scarcely  advanced  a  few  hundred 


m 


1-^      ^-4 


44 


INDIAN  WARS 


U 


yards,  before  the  action  commenced.    At  th^  onset  both 
the  colonels  fell  wounded,  and  the  advance  fled.     They 
were  rallied  by  a  reinforcement  under  Col.  Field.     Never 
was  savage  obstinacy  displayed  more  unyieldingly.     For- 
ming a  line  across  the  delta  between  the  rivers,  and  shel- 
tered by  logs  in  front,  they  maintained  the  contest  from  sun- 
rise till  evening,  repelling  fre<iuent  and  the  most  impetu- 
ous charges.     A  fortunate  movement  on  the  part  of  the 
Virginia  troops  decided  the  day.     Three  companies,  under 
the  command  of  Capts.  Isaac  Shelby,  afterwards  governor 
of  Kentucky,  George  Matthews,  and  John  Stewart,  were 
detached  by  Greneral  Lewis  to  ascend  Crooked  creek,  a  wa- 
ter tliere  entering  into  the  Kenhawa,  and  under  the  covert 
of  its  banks  and  high  weeds,  move  down  upon  the  rear  of 
the  Indians,  and  attack  them  in  that  direction.     Finding 
themselves  between  two  fires,  and  supposing  that  the  at- 
tack upon  their  rear  wag  by  the  expected  force  of  Colonel 
Christian,  which  had  not  yiit  arrived,  they  commenced  a 
precipitate  retreat,  having  fought  from  morning  until  sunset. 

Scarcely  had  the  action  ended,  when  Col.  Christian  ar- 
rived with  his  expected  reinforcements.  Bodies  of  the  en- 
emy had,  also,  been  seen  on  the  opposite  shores  of  the  O- 
hio  and  Kenhawa.  But  this  seasonable  arrival  of  Colonel 
Christian,  and  th&Moody  repulse  they  had  met,  not  only 
hindered  then»fronrflsuming  the  action,  but,  in  its  decisive 
results,  disposed  them  to  peace.  It  was  a  dearly  purchas- 
ed victory,  seventy-five  of  the  Virginia  troops  being  killed, 
and  one  hundred  and  forty  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  In- 
dians was,  probably,  as  great,  consisting  of  the  prime  war- 
riors of  the  Shawnese,  Mingoes,  Wyandotts,  and  Cayugas, 
led  on  by  Cornstalk,  the  head  chief  of  the  confederacy,  and  a 
warrior  of  great  fame.  Among  the  distinguished  officers 
in  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  were  Generals  Isaac  Shelby, 
and  Campbell,  and  Col.  Campbell,  heroes  of  Kings  Moun- 
tain, Generals  Evan  Shelby,  Moore,  Tate, Wells,  and  Mat- 
thews, and  Colonels  Herring,  Stuart ,  McKee,  Steele,  and 
Cameron,  all  of  them  afterwards  distinguished  as  warriors, 
or  statesmen. 

It  was  about  this  time,  that  the  seeds  of  the  revolution 
.began  to  germinate,  and  that  the  colonists,  who  had  hith- 


J '. 


i\ 


OF  THE  WEST. 


45 


ertohad  the  strong  arm  and  the  ancient  glory  of  Great  Biit- 
ain  to  protect  them,  found  in  this  power,  hitherto  regarded 
as  a  parent,  an  enemy,  and  a  new  element  of  apprehen- 
sion united  in  innumerable  ways  with  the  savages  against 
us.  It  is  at  this  period,  that  we  begin  to  hear  of  the  infa- 
mous Simon  Girty,  and  the  equally  detestable  Colony  uni- 
ted with  Lord  Dimmore  and  his  savage  allies.  If  it  is  cause 
of  admiration,  that  the  feeble  commencements  of  white  men 
in  the  wilderness  were  not  extirpated,  root  and  branch, 
how  much  more  is  it  matter  of  astonishment,  that  the  in- 
habitants of  the  frontiers,  and  of  the  western  woods  were 
not  entirely  cutoff,  when  Great  Britain  united  her  terrible 
power  with  the  savages  against  them.  We  find  Lord  Dun- 
more  strongly  impressed  with  the  difficulties  of  the  new  po- 
sition, in  \^hich  the  first  harbingers  of  the  revolution  pla- 
ced him.  He  was  in  the  Indian  country  with  a  large  hos- 
tile force,  and  exceedingly,  anxious  to  make  a  peace  with 
the  Indians,  that  he  might  return  home,  and  prepare  for 
new  emergencies.  White-eyes  and  Cornstalk,  but  chiefly 
the  latter,  were  deputed  on  the  part  of  the  savages  to  treat 
of  peace.  Cornstalk  had  manifested  the  bravery  of  a  hero 
at  Point  Pleasant.  At  Lord  Dunmore's  lent  he  displayed 
the  powers  of  a  consummate  orator,  and  an  adroit  states- 
man. While  he  met  Lord  Dunmore's  criminations  with 
recriminations  but  too  well  founded,  while  he  sketched  the 
wrongs  and  the  declining  star  of  the  red  people,  in  contrast 
with  the  cunning  and  oppression  of  the  whites,  a  compe- 
tent judge,  who  was  present,  affirmed,  that  Patrick  Henry, 
or  Richard  Henry  Lee  had  never  produced  finer  bursts  of 
oraiory.  This  son  of  the  forest  was  decidedly  one  of  those 
favorites  of  nature,  to  whom  she  has  been  pleaded,  under 
her  own  sign  manual,  to  grant  a  patent  of  nobility.  In  this 
speech  he  protested  against  the  allowance  of  sending  the 
'fire  water'  of  the  whites  among  them.  In  his  own  camp^ 
to  induce  his  own  people  to  accede  to  the  terms  of  the  whites, 
he  adverted  to  the  constant  advance  of  the  one,  and  the  de- 
cline of  the  other.  'What  shall  w?  do?'  asked  he.  'Are 
we  ready  to  kill  all  our  women  and  children,  and  then  go 
out,  and  fight  them,  till  not  a  warrior  remains?'  The  ques- 
tion was  met  with  sullen  silence,    'Then,'  he  continueid, 


m 


46 


INDIAN  WARS 


1^ 


striking  his  tomahawk  against  the  post,  ^I  will  go  in,  and 
make  peace.'  Tiie  peace  of  1774  was  accordingly  con- 
cluded. 

The  enlightened  and  generous  chieftain  soon  ai^er  fell  a 
victim  to  the  misplaced  vengeance  of  the  whites.  He  was 
on  a  visit  of  business  at  the  garrison  at  Point  Pleasant.  He 
had  been  engaged  in  delineating,  on  the  floor  of  the  garri- 
son, a  map  of  the  country  between  the  Missouri  and  the 
Mississippi,  and  the  various  streams  of  those  mighty  riv- 
ers, with  which  he  seemed  perfectly  acquainted.  A  voice 
was  heard  from  the  other  side  of  the  river,  which  he  re- 
cognized to  be  that  of  his  son,  Ellinipsico,  and  who,  uneasy 
about  his  long  stay  at  the  garrison,  had  come  to  enquire 
about  him.  Never  was  meeting  more  affectionately  filial 
and  parental.  Just  at  this  moment  hews  arrived,  that  one 
of  the  hunters  of  the  fort  had  been  slain  by  Indians  lurking 
behind  the  bank.  His  bloody  body  was  soon  brought  to  the 
garrison,  with  the  charge,  that  Indians  had  accompanied 
£llinipsico,  who  had  conmxitted  the  murder.  It  was  in 
vain  the  affectionate  son  averred  that  he  came  aloiie;  in 
vain  that  many  of  the  garrison  wished  to  save  the  mag- 
nanimous chie^  The  fury  of  revenge  in  the  garrison  was 
equally  blind  and  unrelenting.  The  son  was  agitated. 
His  father  evinced  the  utmost  composure.  ^My  son,'  said 
he,  *the  Great  Spirit  has  sent  you  here,  that  we  should  die 
together.  Let  us  submit  to  his  will ;'  and  turning  to  meet 
the  exasperated  multitude  at  the  door,  he  received  seven 
bullets  in  his  body,  and  fell  without  a  groan.  Ellinipsico 
met  his  fate  with  the  same  dignity  and  composure.  But 
the  Red  Hawk,  a  young  chief,  who  was  present,  conceal- 
ed himself  in  the  chimney  of  the  cabin.  He  was  dragged 
down,  and  cut  in  pieces.  Thus  fell  the  noble  Cornstalk, 
chief  of  the  Shawnese,  the  victim  of  a  revenge  as  unjust 
and  as  savage,  as  that  of  the  red  men.  He  seemed  to 
have  a  presentiment  of  his  death;  for  on  the  day  previous, 
he  observed  in  council,  <when  I  was  young,  and  went  to 
war,  my  thoughts  often  told  me  at  each  adventure,  that  it 
might  be  my  liast,  I  still  lived  on.  Now  I  am  in  the  midst 
of  you.  Kill  me,  if  you  choose.  I  can  die  but  once ;  it  is 
alike  now,  or  hereafter.' 


OF  THE  WEST. 


47 


All  the  cruelties  of  Indian  warfare  were  immediately 
renewed ;  and  after  numerous  detached  massacres  and  bur- 
nings, the  concentrated  fury  of  the  savages  fell  upon  Wheel- 
ing. Round  the  fort  at  this  place  had  grown  up  a  flourish- 
ing settlement  with  surprising  rapidity.  There  were  al- 
ready thirty  houses  in  the  village,  round  which  were  smi- 
ling pastures  and  fields,  and  abundant  flocks  and  herd'j. 
Capts.  Ogal  and  Mason,  with  a  small  party,  had  been  re- 
connoitering  the  approaches  to  the  settlement.  Captain 
Ogal  returned  to  the  fort,  aflirming  that  there  was  no  en- 
emy at  hand.  But  in  the  course  of  the  night,  the  Indians, 
to  the  number  of  nearly  four  hundred,  arrived.  Seeing 
many  lights,  and  apprehensive  that  the  garrison  were 
prepared  for  them,  they  ambuscaded  the  road  of  approach 
to  the  fort,  by  two  concealed  parallel  lines  of  their  number. 
In  the  centre  tUey  placed  six  savages,  to  decoy  the  garri- 
son to  come  against  them,  by  the  smallness  of  their  ^um- 
bers. 

Early  in  the  morning,  two  men  from  the  fort  came  near 
these  Indians,  unconscious  that  greater  numbers  of  them 
were  at  hand.  One  of  them  was  shot  dead,  and  the  other 
purposely  allowed  to  escape,  that  he  might  return  to  the 
fort,  and  decoy  others  into  the  ambuscade.  Capt.  Mason, 
understanding  that  this  assault  had  been  made  by  only  six 
Indians,  marched  out  with  fourteen  men  to  attack  them. 
Passing  into  the  ambuscade,  most  of  his  men  were  mowed 
down.  C!apt.  Mason,  severely  wounded,  concealed  himself 
behind  a  tree.  After  a  severe  personal  conflict  with  an 
Indian,  whom  he  killed,  Capt.  Ogal,  with  twelve  men, 
rushed  out  to  their  relief;  but  met  the  same  fate  with  the 
pr.ece«ling  party.  Of  twenty-sir  only  three  escaped  death, 
and  two  of  these  were  severely  wounded. 

The  garrison  were  thus  forwarned  of  the  assault  prepar- 
ing for  them.  Scarcely  had  they  been  made  aware  how 
many  of  their  number  had  been  slain,  before  the  enemy  ap- 
peared before  their  walls, and  they  were  summoned  to  sur- 
render by  the  renegado  Girty.  He  vaunted  the  number 
of  his  forces,  called  on  them  to  renounce  the  colonial  cause, 
and  submit  to  Great  Britain,  denouncing  the  utmost  fury 
of  savage  vengeance,  if  they  resisted,  or  fired  a  gun.    He 


48 


INDIAN  WARS 


then  read  them  governor  Hamilton's  proclamation,  and  al- 
lowed  them  fifteen  minutes  to  deliberate  on  his  promised 
terms,  if  they  would  enrrender.  Col.  Zane  assured  him, 
that  they  were  all  resolved  to  perish,  rather  than  to  sur- 
render to  any  force,  with  him  at  their  head.  Girty  rusu- 
ihed  his  boasts  of  the  magnitude  of  his  force,  and  the  im- 
possibility of  restraining  the  savage  fury  of  the  assault. 
A  shot  discharged  at  the  orator  caused  liim  promptly  to 
withdraw. 

The  fort  contained  thirty-three  men,  and  the  assailants 
numbered  three  hundred  and  eighty.  The  women  sta^ 
tioned  themselves  beside  the  men,  moulded  bullets,  loaded, 
and  handed  the  guns.  The  less  firm  or  robust  performed 
the  cooking,  and  brought  provisions  and  drink.  The  as- 
sailants, finding  that  they  could  make  no  impression  upon 
the  fort,  and  finding  that  a  sufficient  force  would  soon  col- 
lect from  the  country  against  them,  killed  every  thipgy'that 
had  life,  upon  which  they  could  lay  their  hands,  amounting 
to  more  than  three  hundred  cattle,  swine,  and  horses,  bur- 
ned all  the  dwellings  and  buildings  outside  the  fort,  and  de- 
camped on  the  morning  of  the  next  day.  The  forces,  that 
soon  collected  for  the  relief  of  the  place,  found  twenty-three 
unburied  dead  about  the  fort,  and  witnessed  a  most  affec- 
ting sight  of  desolation. 

Bodies  of  Indians  still  lurked  about  the  for*  One  of 
these  enticed  a  party  of  patroles  into  an  ambuscade,  by 
scattering  some  Indian  trinkets  in  sight,  so  as  to  seduce 
them  from  their  path.  The  company  stopping  to  look  at 
the  ornaments,  the  Indians  in  ambush  opened  their  fire  up- 
on them,  by  which  in  a  few  moments  twenty-one  were 
killed,  among  whom  were  Capt.  Foreman  and  his  two  sons, 
and  a  number  more  were  wounded.  The  whole  would  have 
been  cut  off,  had  not  Capt.  Lynn  appeared  suddenly  with  a 
small  party  on  an  adjoining  eminence.  Discharging  their 
guns  with  loud  shouts,  they  induced  the  Indians  to  believe 
that  a  large  reinforcement  was  at  hand ;  and  they  produ- 
ced a  precipitate  retreat  of  the  assailants. 

About  this  time  a  conspiracy  of  the  tories  in  the  vicini- 
ty of  Wheeling  and  fort  Pitt  was  discovered.  The  rumor 
was,  that  these  tories, aided  by  Girty  and  the  Indians,  were 


OF  THE  WEST. 


49 


to  murder  the  whigs  in  the  settleinentf!,  and  march  in  tri- 
umph to  Detroit.  The  exasperated  whigs  were  not  slow 
in  action.  The  usual  remedies  of  corporeal  punishment, 
imprisonment,  and  confiscation  were  promptly  applied. 


CHAPTER  V. 


FIRST   SETTLEME?fT   OF   KENTUCKY. 


Tennessee  asserts  her  claim  to  priority  of  settlement. 
But  it  is  immaterial  to  these  anna' j,  whether  we  commence 
with  those  of  the  one  state  or  the  other.  It  is  convenient 
to  the  only  order  of  which  this  narrative  seems  suscepti- 
ble, to  begin  with  those  of  Kentucky.  The  people  of  this 
state  have  impressed  their  name,  cluu'acter,  and  spirit  in  a 
great  degree  upon  the  whole  west;  and  our  attention  is  na- 
turally turned  to  the  commencement  of  this  settlement,  as 
the  third  era  in  the  order  of  time,  but  the  first  in  impor- 
tance, in  the  history  of  the  population  of  the  Mississippi 
valley. 

It  takes  its  name  from  the  Indian  appellation  of  one  of 
the  chief  rivers  Kan-tuck-kec',importing  the  dark  and  bloody 
ground.  •  It  was  first  visited  in  17G3,  by  Finley,  of  North 
Carolina.  In  this  adventurous  and  remote  journey  into 
an  unknown  wilderness,  beyond  a  vast  barrier  of  moun- 
tains, by  a  few  congenial  spirits,  strongly  endowed  with 
the  wandering  propensity,  and  the  same  fondness  for  the 
wild  existence  of  a  hunter  in  unpeopled  and  remote  forests, 
it  is  uncertain,  whether  they  were  led  by  any  vague  ex- 
pectations, so  common  in  the  minds  of  adventurers  at  that 
time,  of  finding  Peruvian  mines.  They  found  treasur '^ 
equally  refreshing  to  the  spirits  of  hunters,  rich  cane  breaks, 
wild  clover  fields,  beautiful  lawns,  and  a  charming  open 
landscape;  a  flowering  forest  alive  with  buffaloes,  elk, 
bears,  deer,  panthers,  wolves,  wild  cats,  foxes,  turkevs,  and 

5 


50 


INDIAN  WARS 


unhappily,  with  letl  men  among  the  rest.  They  made 
their  way  to  Big  bono  lick,  the  huge  organic  remains  of 
which  excited  their  utmost  astonishment.  After  an  exten- 
sive exploration  of  this  fine  country,  seen  in  all  its  native 
attractions,  they  returned  to  North  Carolina,  to  tell  the  trav- 
eller's talc,  describing  the  country,  as  a  terrestrial  para- 
dise, full  of  game,  the  soil  of  which  was  covered  with  cane 
and  clover,  and  its  forests  with  blossoms. 

These  descriptions  of  the  newly  discovered  region  ex- 
cited, as  may  be  supposed,  abundant  conversation  in  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina,  the  inhabitants  of  which  natu- 
rally wished  to  secure  the  i)ossession  of  a  domain  so  ex- 
tensive and  fertile. 

After  the  lapse  of  two  years,  Daniel  Boone,  the  cele- 
brated western  pioneer,  accompanied  Finley  in  another 
visit  to  the  country.  After  their  return,  it  is  matter  of  re- 
gret, that  wo  henceforward  hear  little  of  the  first  discover- 
er of  Kentucky.  As  the  name  of  the  latter  will  be  forev- 
er identified  with  the  annals  of  the  state,  and  as  it  occu- 
pies the  most  conspicuous  place  among  the  records  of  the 
primitive  western  backwoodsmen,  we  shall  take  Have  to 
introduce  in  this  place  a  sketch  of  his  charaC  He 
stands  at  the  head  of  a  remarkable  class  of  peopi  jost 
new  in  the  history  of  the  species,  trained  by  circumstan- 
ces to  a  singular  and  unique  character,  and  in  many  re- 
spects dissimilar  to  that  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  shores  of 
the  Atlantic.  The  thoughts  of  these  backwoodsmen  ex- 
patiated with  delight,  only  when  they  were  in  a  boundless 
forest,  filled  with  game,  with  a  pack  of  dogs  behind  them, 
and  a  rifle  on  their  shoulders.  Yet  much  as  their  charac- 
ters seemed  dashed  with  wild  recklessness,  they  were  gen- 
eral ly  as  remarkable  for  high  notions  of  honor  and  gener- 
osity, as  for  hardihood,  endurance,  and  bravery. 

Daniel  Boone  is  reputed  to  have  been  born  in  Maryland, 
about  the  year  1756.  His  first  dawning  indications  of  char- 
acter intimated  the  preponderance  of  that  ruling  passion  for 
hunting  and  the  woods,  which  followed  him  through  life. 
But  as  he  advanced  to  manhood,  the  partially  settled  fron- 
tier forests  of  Maryland  became  too  beaten  and  sterile  of 
game,  to  affo^  range  to  his  spirit.    His  parents  removed 


•*  ..Aa 


in  so  ex- 


\ 
OF  THB  WEST. 


51 


by  his  persuasion,  to  the  deeper  forests  of  Virginia,  and 
siihscqiioiitly  to  the  still  wilder  rcf^ioris  of  Ni>rth  CaiT)linn. 
But  all  the  eastern  deciivilios  (jftlie  Allegluinies  prusjontod 
the  ascending  smokes  of  incipient  euJtivatioii.     Jn  follow- 
ing Finley  over  those  mountains  into  the  untuuclR'd  und 
fertile  wilderness  ot  Kentucky,  he  found  in  tiie  clover  and 
cane  break  lawns,  enlivened  with  bears,  burtliloes.,  und 
turkeys,  the  cherished  home  of  his  imagination.     In  1709, 
wc  Hnd  him  seeking  to  select  the  spot  on  which  to  build 
his  tamily  cabin,  tor  he  was  now  married.      Though  un- 
educated, in  the  sense  in  which  that  phrase  is  now  under-, 
stood,  ha*'possessed  a  quickness  of  apprehension,  a  stern 
firmness  of  decision,  a  strength  of  character,  a  self  posses^ 
sion,  which  stamped  him  with  pre-eminence  in  his  peculiar 
walk,  and  eminently  fitted  him  at  once  for  command  and 
self  dependence.  The  great  hunter  of  Kentucky  was  equal- 
ly remarkable  for  an  unwavering  and  an  unconquerable 
fortitude,  which  bade  defiance  to  pain  and  death,  and  for 
gentleness  of  manners,  and  humanity  of  disposition.     All 
his  peculiar  traits  of  character  were  fortif'od  by  his  long 
cherished  habits  of  wandering  for  days  together  with  no 
other  companionship  than  his  rifle  and  his  own  thoughts. 
His  first  exploration  with  Finley,  without  accident,  was 
one  of  unmixed  pleasure.      But  in  his  second  journey 
there,  his  sufferings  commenced.     As  he  and  a  single  as- 
sociate named  Stewart,  had  started  for  a  morning  hunt, 
they  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  Indians,  who  first  plun- 
dered them  of  every  thing,  and  then  led  them  into  captivi- 
ty, by  long  and  severe  marches  through  the  wilderness. 
They  were  generally  watched  with  unsleeping  vigilance. 
But  their  captors,  relaxing  it  for  a  moment  on  the  morning 
of  their  eighth  day's  march,  they  escaped,  ami  returned  to 
their  plundered  camp,*  where,  having  neither  guns,  ammu- 
nition, nor  food,  they  would  have  perished  with  hunger, 
had  it  not  been  that  at  the  exact  period  of  their  return  to 
their  camp,  they  were  visited  by  a  brother  of  Boone,  who 
furnished  them  a  timely  supply.     Soon  after,  they  wfire 
fired  upon  by  a  considerable  body  of  savages,  and  Stew- 
art was  killed.     The  brothers  escaped ;  -and  with  their 
tomahawks  built  themselves  a  cabin  of  pole%  and  bark,  in 


>•*„ 


52 


INDIAN  WARS 


which  ihey  spent  the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1770, 
Boone's  brother  returned  to  North  Carolina,  and  left  him 
alone  in  the  woods,  the  only  white  man  in  Kentucky.  He 
had  neither  bread,  nor  salt*,  nor  even  a  dog  for  a  compan- 
ion. During  this  absence  of  his  brother,  he  made  an  ex- 
ploring trip  to  the  Ohio,  returned  on  his  steps,  and  in  July 
met  his  brother  comir^g  from  North  Carolina,  according  to 
his  agreement,  when  they  parted.  They  then  explored  the 
country  together,  as  far  as  the  river  Cumberland,  and  in 
1771  returned  to  their  families,  with  the  intention  of  re- 
moving them  to  Kentucky. 

In  the  autumn  of  1773,  Daniel  Boone  returned  with  his 
family >  joined  by  five  other  perse  \  In  Powell's  valley 
the  party  received  an  accession  of  forty  other  persons,  all 
confiding  in  the  guidance  and  management  of  Daniel  Boone. 
The  party  thence  advanced  into  the  wilderness  in  high 
spirits,  until  the  10th  of  Octobefr,  when  the  Indians  fired 
upon  their  rear,  and  killed  six  men.  Among  the  slain 
was  th6  eldest  son  of  Daniel  Boone.  They  faced  upon  the 
foe,  and  drove  them  off,  but  not  until  their  cattle  were  dis- 
persed. The  immigrants  themselves  were  so  much  afflic- 
ted and  disheartened,  that  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  re- 
tire to  the  settlements  on  Clinch  river.  Here  Daniel 
Boone  continued  to  hunt,  until  June,  1774. 

At  this  tiine  he  was  requested  by  the  governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, to  whom  fame  had  made  him  known,  to  repair  to  the 
Falls  of  Ohio,  to  conduct  thence  a  party  of  surveyors,'  whose 
stay  there  was  deemed  unsafe,  on  account  of  the  recent 
hostility  of  the  northern  savages.  With  a  man  of  the  name 
of  Stoner  for  his  companion,  he  made  his  way  through  the 
woods  in  safety  to  the  Falls,  and  piloted  the  surveyors  a- 
way,  according  to  request.  He  was  absent  from  home 
two  months.  This  year  the  Shawnese  and  other  northern 
Indians  commenced  open  hostilities  upon  the  frontier  set- 
tlements. Daniel  Boo  le  was  ordered,  with  the  rank  of 
captain,  to  take  command  of  three  contiguous  forts,  where 
hb  discharged  his  assigned  duty,  until  peace  was  declared 
with  the  Indians.  Being  released  from  this  duty,  he  was 
solicited  by  Henderson  and  company  of  North  Carolina,  as 
their  agent,  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  southern  Indians, 


CW  THE  WEST. 


53 


which  they  had  convoked,  with  a  view  to  purchase  of  them 
lands  south  of  Kentucky  river.  In  1775  he  met  the  Indi- 
ans, pursuant  to  his  appointment,  and  made  the  purchases. 
Ho  was  then  requested  to  head  a  part^  sent  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  lands.  He  opened  a  load  from  Holston  to 
the  Kentucky,  with  their  assistance ;  but  was  attacked  by 
the  Indians,  and  four  of  the  party  were  killed,  and  five 
wounded.  It  was  in  the  early  part  of  the  summer,  that 
the  survivors  reached  Kentucky  river.  A  fort  was  com- 
menced at  the  lick,  where  Boonesborough now  stands;  but 
the  party,  enfeebled  and  discouraged  by  their  los?,  were 
sometime  engaged  in  its  erection. 

Leaving  some  men  to  guard  the  fort,  Boone  took  the  re- 
mainder to  Clinch  settlement,  to  escort  his  family  to  the 
country;  and  his  wife  and  daughter  were  the  first  v  jite 
women  who  arrived  in  Kentucky.  Here  he  remained  a 
number  of  years,  aiding  and  encouraging  those  who  were 
bold  enough  to  follow  his  example,  and  to  choose  his  mode 
of  life.  Tho  Indians  were  continually  harassing  and  mur- 
dering tl}&  new  settlers;  and  he  wa»  always  ready  to  head 
the  parties  of  woodsmen,  who  sought  revenge,  to  put  them 
on  Hie  trail  of  their  foe,  and  give  them  a  chance  to  retali- 
ate. The  future  historical  incidents  of  his  career  are  na- 
turally interwoven  with  the  events  in  the  pxogress  of  the 
settlements  in  the  west.  With  the  following  brief  sketch 
of  his  character,  we  shall  return  to'the  ordo  '  of  those  events. 

The  very  name  of  Daniel  Boone  is  a  romance  in  itself, 
A  Nimrod  by  instinct  and  physical  character,  his  home 
was  in  the  range  of  woods,  his  beau  ideal  the  chase,  and 
forests  full  of  buffaloes,  bears,  an  1  deer.  More  expert  at 
their  own  arts,  than  the  Indians  themselves,  to  fightthera, 
and  foil  them,  gave  scope  to  the  exulting  consciousness  of 
the  exercise  of  his  own  appropriate  and  peculiar  potVers. 
He  fights  them  in  numerous  woods  and  arabuslos.  His  com- 
panions fall  about  him.  lie  is  one  of  those  pivuliar  persons, 
whom  destiny  seems  to  have  charmed  against  balls.  V/lien, 
by  daring  or  stratagem,  he  comes  off  safe  from  a  desperate 
conflict,  it  affords  him  a  delightful  theme  to  recount  to  his 
hstning  companions  around  the  cabin  fire,  or  as  feasting  on 
the  smoking  buffaloe  hump,  on  a  winter  es^ening,  his  strange 


■m 


m 


mi 
m 


§.) 


5* 


54 


INDIAN  WARS 


adventures  anc'  his  hair-breadth  escapes.  At  length  he  is 
taken.  But  the  savajjes  have  too  much  reverence  for  such 
a  grand  'medicine'  of  a  man  as  Boone,  to  kill  him.  He  as- 
sumes such  an  entire  satisfaction  along  with  them,  and 
they  are  so  naturally  delighted  with  such  a  mighty  hunter, 
and  such  a  free  and  fortunate  spirit,  that  they  are  charmed, 
and  deceived  into  a  confidence  that  he  is  really  at  home 
v/ii.h  thcjm,  and  would  not  escape  if  he  could.  It  is  prob- 
able, tQO,  that  his  seeming  satisfaction  is  not  altogether  af- , 
fected.  The  Indian  way  of  life  is  the  way  of  his  heart. 
It  is  almost  one  thing  to  him,  so  that  he  wanders  in  the 
woods  with  expert  hunters,  whether  he  takes  his  diversion 
with  the  whites,  or  the  Indians.  They  are  lulled  into 
such  confidence,  as  to  allow  him  almbst  his  jown  range. 
He  seizes  his  opportunity,  and  in  escaping,  undergoes  such 
incredible  hardships,  privations,  and  dangers,  as  nothing 
would  render  credible,  but  the  most  indubitable  evidence, 
that  they  had  been  actually  so  endured. 

Boone  thought  little  of  titles  and  courts  of  record.     Fen- 

CD 

ces,  butts,  and  bounds,  and  partition  lines,  and  all  the  bar- 
barous terms  invented  by  the  si)irit  of  Meiim  and  Tuum; 
and  the  paltry  lets  and  hindrances  of  civilization  were 
terms  of  unhappy  omen  in  his  ear.  He  finds  himself  cir- 
cumvented by  those  who  had  thought  with  more  respect  of 
these  things;  and  in  his  age,  he  fled  from  landholders  and 
lawsuits  in  Kentucky,  to  the  banks  of  the  Missouri.  Here, 
pn  '»  river,  with  a  course  of  something  more  than  a  thou- 
sand leagues,  all  through  wilderness,  an  ample  and  a  pleas- 
ant range  was  opened  to  his  imagination.  We  saw  him  on 
those  banks.  With  thin,  grey  hair,  a  high  forehead,  a  keen 
eye,  a  cheerful  expression,  a  singularly  bold  conformation 
of  -countenance  and  breast,  and  a  sharp  and  commanding 
voict,  and  a  creed  for  the  future,  embracing  not  many  ar- 
ticles beyond  his  red  rival  hunters,  he  appeared  to  us  the 
same  Daniel  Boone,  if  we  may  use  the  expression, 'jerked' 
and  dried  to  high  preservation,  that  we  had  figured,  as  the 
wanderer  in  woods,  and  the  slayer  of  bears  and  Indians. 
He  could  no  longer  well  descry  the  wild  turkey  on  the  trees; 
but  his  eve  still  kindled  at  the  hunter's  tale ;  and  he  re- 
marked,  that  the  population  on  that  part  of  the  Missouri 


OF  THE  WEST. 


55 


was  becoming  too  dense,  and  the  farms  too  near  each  oth- 
er, for  comfortable  range ;  and  that  he  never  wished  to 
reside  in  a  place,  where  he  could  not  fall  trees  enough  in- 
to his  yard  to  keep  up  his  winter  fire.  Dim  as  was  hia 
eye  with  age,  it  would  not  have  been  difficult,  we  appre- 
hend, to  have  obtained  him  as  a  volunteer,  on  a  hunting 
expedition  over  the  Rocky  mountains.  No  man  ever  ex- 
emplified more  strongly  the  ruling  passion  strong  in  death. 
In  1770,  a  party  of  nine  persons,  headed  by  Colonel 
James  Ejiox,  reached  Kentucky  with  a  view  to  hunt,  and 
explore.  It  is  not  known  that  Knox  and  Boone  ever  met, 
or  had  any  knowledge  that  the  other  was  in  the  country. 
This  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  circumstance,  that  their 
different  attempts  were  made  in  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. Boone  saw  the  country  only  with  the  eye  of  a  ban- 
ter, with  very  little  forecast  of  its  future  value  and  destiny. 
Knox  and  his  party  viewed  this  fa  "  region  with  different 
eyes,  and  saw  it  in  the  aspect  of  it.  value  under  the  hands 
of  cultivation  and  habitancy.  While  they,  however,  were 
meditating,  whether  it  were  better  to  induce  a  great  body 
of  Iheir  countrymen  to  immigrate  with  them,  or  to  enter  on 
their  enterprise  alone,  the  whole  country,  which  had  hith- 
erto been  claimed  by  France,  passed  by  ceded  transfer  to 
the  possession  of  England.  The  Virginia  troopp,  who  had 
served  in  the  Canadian  war, received  bounties  in  these  wes- 
tern lands ;  and  were  anxious  to  survey  tl  n,  and  ascertain 
their  value.  Theclaimants,  with  their  sm  eyois, arrived 
in  the  country,  in  1773,  to  view  and  select  their  'auds. 
They  descended  the  Ohio  from  fort  Pitt  to  the  Failn,  and 
explored  the  country  on  the  Kentucky  side  of  the  rivor. 
They  Qxamined  some  of  the  salines,  or  licks,,  and  among 
others  'Big  bone  lick}'  and  contemplated,  with  astonish- 
ment, thoflfj^normous  organic  remains  found  there.  They 
returned  delighted  with  the  appearance  of  the  country.  A- 
bout  the  same  time,  General  Thompson,  of  Pennsylvania, 
commenced  an  extensive  course  of  surveys  of  the  rich  lands 
on  the  north  fork  of  Licking.  In  1774,  other  surveyors 
followqd  the  same  route.  After  reaching  the  Falls  of  Ohio, 
they  travelled  up  both  sides  of  Kentucky  river,  as  far  as 
Elkhom,  on  the  north)  and  Dick's  river  on  the  south. 


1     i"' 


m 


56 


INDIAN  WARS 


This  year,  the  first  cabin  for  family  habitancy  was  built 
on  the  present  site  of  Harrodsburg,  by  James  Harrod.  This 
habitation  answered  the  aouble  purpose  of  a  house  and  a 
fort.  The  occupants  were  emigrants  from  Monongahela. 
Ail  the  Indians  north-west  of  the  Ohio  were  now  at  open 
war  with  the  Virginians.  A  severe  battle,  which  we  have 
already  noticed,  was  fought  between  the  parties  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhawa.  It  terminated  in  i&vor  of 
the  Virginians.  The  battle  field  was  called  Point  Pleas- 
ant. Many  of  the  soldiers  returned  to  the  south-western 
parts  of  Virginia  through  Kentucky.  Governor  Dunmore, 
who  then  commanded  the  main  army  of  militia,  who  had 
not  been  in  the  action  of  Point  Pleasant,  marched  into  the 
Indian  country.  Peace  was  soon  after  made  between  him 
and  tiiG  Indians.  The  surveyors  were  again  able  to  exe- 
cute their  commissions.  While  the  government  of  Virgin- 
ia made  use  of  these  means  to  render  the  country  safely 
habitable,  individuals  in  several  places  built  cabins,  inhab- 
ited them  one  season,  and  then  returned  to  their  homes ;  in 
this  way  giving  themselves  a  future  claim  to  the  land,  up- 
on which  they  had  built.  Harrodsburg,  Boonesborough, 
and  Logan's  camp,  near  the  present  site  of  Stamford,  were 
the  first  permanent  settlements.  The  two  latter  settle- 
ments were  made  under  the  auspices  of  Virginia.  Hen- 
derson and  company  had  been  induced,  by  exaggerated 
accounts  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  to  wish  for  some  claim, 
to  enable  them  to  monopolize  the  profits  which  would 
accrue  from  the  occupancy  and  sale  of  the  new  country. 
They  accordingly  made  that  purchase  of  lands  from  the 
Indians,  to  which  we  have  referred,  and  in  which  Boone 
was  their  agent.  Boone  was  now  upon  the  grouud.  A 
fort  was  built,  and  a  land  office  opened  by  Henderson  and 
company,  for  the  sale  <  »f  their  lands.  The  purchasers  were 
to  receive  titles  in  virtue  of  that  which  Henderson  and 
company  had  received  from  the  Indians.  This  would 
have  been  a  golden  speculation  indeed,  could  this  company 
have  realized  their  expectations.  Virginia  had  as  yet  at- 
tached little  value  to  her  western  possessions.  The  great 
conflict  between  the  colonies  and  the  mother  country  had 
occupied  all  her  chief  thoughts  and  energies.    Things  so 


OF  THE  WEST. 


67 


remained,  until  in  common  with  the  other  states,  she  pro- 
claimed herself  free  and  independent,  and  alone  possessing 
the  right  of  extinguishing  the  Indian  claims  within  her  ter- 
ritory, and  making  sales  of  her  lands. 

The  legislature  of  that  state  declared  Henderson's  pur- 
chase null,  as  far  as  concerned  the  validity  of  the  claim; 
but  etfectual  so  far  as  related  to  extinguishing  the  claims 
of  the  Indians  within  her  territories.  To  indemnify  Hen- 
derson for  his.  loss,  they  made  him  a  compensation  of  two 
hundred  thousand  acres  of  land,  lying  at  the  mouth  of  Green 
river.  The  association  was  satisfied  with  this  grant ;  and 
the  settlers  under  titles  received  from  them  in  other  parts 
of  the  country,  looked  to  Virginia  for  protection  in  their 
rights.  The  legislature  at  the  same  time  confirmed  a  pur- 
chase, made  by  Colonel  Donaldson  from  the  six  nations,  of 
the  country  north  of  Kentucky  river.  The  Indian  claim  to 
the  whole  of  Kentucky,  north  of  the  Tennessee,  M^as  now 
exrtiiguished  by  purchasn.  James  Harrod  and  his  men 
joined  the  Virginians  at  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant.  Af- 
ter peace  with  the  Indians,  he  returned  to  Harrodsburg, 
and  gathered  around  him  a  sufficient  number  of  woodsmen 
to  render  Harrodsburg  a  safe  retreat  of  refuge  for  travellers 
and  immigrants.  A  I'oad,  suLifficiently  wide  for  a  single  file 
of  pack  horses,  had  been  opened  by  Daniel  Boone  f^iom  the 
eettlement  on  Holston  to  Kentucky  river.  He  removed 
with  his  family  and  followers  to  Boonesborough.  Several 
families  moved  to  Harrodsburg  in  the  month  of  September, 
1775.  Three  women  with  their  husbands  and  children, 
came  this  year  to  encounter  all  the  dangers  of  the  savage 
wilderness,  the  privations  and  hardships  of  a  backwood's 
life,  and  the  severe  confinement  of  being  shut  up  in  the  lim- 
its of  a  fort.  These  permanent  settlements  were  viewed 
by  the  Indians  with  extreme  jealousy.  They  seem  to  have 
been  perfectly  aware,  to  what  results  these  things  must 
lead.  They  commenced  a  systematic  course  of  murder- 
ing all  whom  they  could  find  unprotected,  and  beyond  the 
hmits  of  the  forts. 

James  Harrod,  the  founder  of  this  settlement,  was  an- 
other character  like  Boone,  exactly  fitted  for  the  duties  and 
calls  of  the  relation,  which  he  sustained  to  the  colony.    It 


58 


INDIAN  WARS 


was  not  ambition  that  placed  him  at  the  head  of  a  party, 
and  his  little  colony ;  but  the  call  of  the  people,  and  an  in- 
timate and  deep  feeling,  that  he  was  more  qualified  for 
those  duties,  than  any  one  around  him.  He  was  a  brave 
and  expert  huntsman,  and  a  man  of  generous,  frank,  and 
independent  character.  Ho  possessed,  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree, that  instinctive  keenness  of  tact,  to  seize  the  clue  and 
circumstances,  that  guide  the  hunter  in  a  straight  and  safe 
direction  through  the  pathless  woods.  He  united  the  in- 
stincts of  an  Indian  to  the  calculations  and  reasoning  pow- 
ers of  civilized  man.  Any  one,  at  all  conversant  with  the 
scenes  of  a  first  settler  in  the  wilderness,  and  the  requisite 
traits  for  counsel  and  guidance  in  the  leader  of  such  an  es- 
tablishment, can  see  at  once  what  an  invaluable  acquisi- 
tion such  a  man  would  be  to  such  a  settlement.  When  the 
Indians  had  committed  thefts  or  murders,  he  was  always 
at  hand  to  head  an  expedition  of  retaliation,  or  recovery. 
When  a  family  made  known,  that  their  stock  of  provisions 
was  running  low,  he  was  ready  to  shoulder  his  rifle,  and 
to  scour  the  woods  to  hunt  for  a  supply.  The  hunting  of 
lost  cattle  and  horses  in  the  woods  is  a  profession  in  which 
the  genius  and  skill  of  a  backwoodsman  has  a  peculiar 
field  of  dovolopment.  Those  who  live  in  the  old  settle- 
ments can  never  imagine  the  skill,  which  men  in  situations 
like  his,  acquire  in  that  way.  The  finding  of  cattle,  lost 
in  the  woods,  is  a  thing  of  vital  importance  to  the  first  set- 
tlers in  such  a  country.  They  who  had  lost  them,  repair- 
ed to  Mr.  Harrod.  He  sallied  forth,  availing  himself  of  | 
his  peculiar  resources  in  this  sort  of  experienco,  t.nd  their 
cattle  were  found. 

So  dear  did  this  way  of  life  become  to  him,  that  after 
this  primitive  state  of  things  had  all  passe  away,  after  he 
had  obtained  the  commission  of  colonel,  had  a  family, 
friends,  and  comforts  of  all  kinds  multiplied  around  him, 
he  used  to  leave  his  house,  and  repair  to  those  parts  of 
Kentucky,  thatjwere  still  wide  and  waste  wilderness  aboun- 
ding in  game.  He  would  there  remain,  in  the  depth  of 
woods,  two  or  three  weeks,  secluded  from  the  sight  of  ev- 
ery human  being.  In  one  of  these  expeditions  he  lost  his 
life;  but  how,  or  where,  is  not  exactly  known.     He  left  a 


OF  THE  WEST. 


59 


daughter,  and  an  ample  estate  in  lands.  The  early  stages 
of  the  settlement  of  this  state  were  fruitful  in  producing 
characters  of  this  kind.  Their  names,  exploits,  and  hair 
breadth  escapes  will  remain  themes  of  interest  in  the  nar- 
ratives of  their  descendants  around  the  evening  fire. 

The  third  station,  as  we  have  mentioned,  was  at  Logan's 
camp.     Benjamin  Logan  was  by  birth  a  Virginian.     By 
th«  death  of  his  father,  when  he  was  only  fourteen,  he  was 
left  with  the  care  of  a  large  family.     He  provided  for  the 
support  of  his  mother;  saw  his  family  settled,  left  Virginia, 
and  repaired  west  of  the  mountains,  to  these  new  regions, 
to  provide  for  himself.    He  purchased  lands,  married,  and 
I  commenced  improvements  on  the  Holston.     He  was  with 
I  Lord  Dunmore,  when  he  made  peace  with  the  Indians,  in 
1774.     The  next  year  he  visited  Kentucky,  selected  the 
j  spot  where  he  afterwards  built  his  fort,  and  in  1776,  re- 
moved his  family  to  the  country.     These  three  settlements 
of  Boone,  Harrod,  and  Logan  were  the  grand  rallying 
points  for  the  solitary  settlers  dispersed  over  all  the  coua- 
try.    The  Indians  were  considered  as  enemies,  for  there 
[was  no  secia-ity  by  day  or  night,  but  in  these  stations. 

The  14th  of  July,  1776,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Boone, 
land  two  daughters  of  Colonel  Calloway,  were  encountered 
by  the  Indians,  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  fort,  and  were 
carried  away  prisoners.  Daniel  Boone  collected  a  party 
of  eight  men,  and  immediately  followed  them.  On  the  16th 
of  the  month,  they  were  retaken  uninjured,  and  two  of  the 
Indians  were  killed.  It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  de- 
scribe the  joy  of  the  parents  and  their  lost  daughters  at 
this  meeting.  It  is  a  scene  which  no  words  can  paint. 
The  narrative  of  their  recapture,  had  we  space  to  give  it, 
would  be  one  of  extreme  interest. 

S{X)n  afterwards,  the  settlers  ascertained  that  the  Indi- 
lans  had  brought  a  considerable  force  into  the  country,  and 
had  divided  it  into  small  bodies,  with  which  it  was  intended 
j  to  attack  and  destroy  the  settlements  in  detail.  They  had 
no  knowledge  oftha  modes  of  bringing  land  sustaining  a 
considerable  force  in  the  field.  They  can  not  make  great 
efforts  in  a  pitched  battle,  or  in  besieging  a  fort.  But  they 
are  cunning,  persevering,  and  terrible  beyond  coucepdofi, 


m*i 


m 


m'' 


^.. 


4 


60 


INDIAN  WARS 


in  carrying  into  effect  the  injuries  and  murders,  which  they 
meditate  in  this  way.  It  is  inconceivable,  with  what  dex- 
terity they  provide  for  their  own  safety,  while  they  plan 
the  murder  of  their  enemy.  They  conceal  themselves  in 
a  thicket,  among  the  weeds,  behind  a  fence,  or  any  covert. 
Here  they  lie  through  the  whole  day  or  night,  to  way-lay 
the  path,  where  they  suppose  the  object  of  their  revenge 
will  pass.  When  they  imagine  their  aim  is  sure,  they  fire, 
and  if  circumstances  warrant,  dart  on  their  victim  and  take 
his^calp.  If  they  dare  not  do  this,  they  slide  back  to  their 
ambush,  retreat,  and  are  gone,  carrying  with  thenl  the 
pleasant  thought,  that  they  have  destroyed  one  or  more  (rf 
their  enemies.  They  cut  off  the  supplies  of  a  garrison,  by 
killing  or  driving  off  their  cattle.  They  secrete  themselves 
in  ambush  near  the  springs  and  watering  places,  that  they 
may  kill  or  capture  those  who  repair  there,  unconscious 
of  their  danger.  In  the  night,  they  place  themselves  near 
the  gate  of  the  fort,  and  watch  patiently,  until  the  morning, 
that  they  may  kill  the  first  person  that  conies  forth.  They 
are  remarkably  adroit  in  stratagems,  to  decoy  the  garri- 
son out  on  one  side,  while  they  enter  on  the  other,  and  kill 
the  women  and  children.  When  they  have  exhausted  their 
stock  of  provisions,  they  supply  themselves  anew  from  the 
chase,  and  return  to  the  siege,  in  the  hope  of  getting  anoth- 
er scalp.  Their  object  is  in  this  way,  to  kill  the  garrison, 
or  destroy  the  settlement  in  detail. 

When  at  this  d.istance  of  time  we  contemplate  the  ha^ 
ror  of  women  and  children,  in  conceiving  such  an  enemy 
always  about  them  in  the  pathless  wilderness,  it  astonishes 
us,  that  settlers  could  ever  have  been  found,  who  would 
put  iheir  lives  in  their  hand,  and  march  so  far  away  from 
their  native  country  and  home,  to  encounter  these  dangers. 
We  are  surprised  that  they  could  cheejrfully  meet  the  la- 
bors of  cultivation  and  the  field,  constantly  surrounded  by 
these  dangers ;  and  still  more  that  they  would  expose  them- 
selves to  the  greater  dangers  of  hunting,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. But  notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties  and 
dangers,  in  number  and  magnitude  not  to  be  described,  the 
population  of  Kentucky  was  constantly  increasing.  The 
country  was  so  extensive,  that  the  numbers  of  the  Indians 


OF  THE  WEST. 


61 


were  not  sufficient,  to  allow  them  to  spread  over  the  whole 
of  it.  Consequently,  the  solitary  Ihiniiy  .that  plunged 
deep  into  the  .v^ilderness,  although  far  from  the  protection 
of  the  forts,  might  escape,  through  thfj  ignorance  of  the 
Indians  of  their  situation.  It  appears  from  the  records  of 
pre-emption  rights,  that  more  in^provements  were  made 
in  1776,  than  any  preceding  year.  Many  of  those,  who 
afterwards  filled  the  most  conspicuous  places  in  the  coun- 
try, were  immigrants  of  this  year.  Among  these  we  may 
name  George  Rogers  Clark.  Leestown,  situated  a  mile 
below  where  Frankfort  now  stands,  and  so  named  from 
Willis  Lee,  who  had  b^n  killed  by  the  Indians,  was  es- 
tablished this  year,  as  a  rendezvous  for  the  hunters  and 
improvers  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  was  at  first 
nothing  more  than  a  cluster  of  cabins.  Some  of  the  other 
establishments  that  have  since  become  considerable  towns 
were  inferior  even  to  this..  These  isolated  settlements 
could  not  vv^ilhstand  the  fury  of  the  Indian  attacks,  and 
were  all  deserted  during  the  first  year  of  them.  Virginia 
was  now  so  much  interested  in  these  remote  settlements, 
and  the  country  which  she  claimed  here,  that  during  the 
session  of  her  legislature,  in  1776,  a  law  was  passed,  con- 
stituting that  part  of  the  country  which  had  hitherto  been 
a  part  of  the  county  of  Fincastle,  in  Virginia,  a  separate 
county  by  the  name  of  Kentucky.  The  boundaries  of  the 
new  county  were  defined,  and  constituted  much  the  same 
country  which  now  composes  this  state.  The  act  gave 
the  inhabitants  of  the  new  county  a  right  to  a  county  court, 
with  the  customary  jurisdiction,  and  all  the  usual  civil 
and  military  officers. 

The  county  waa  duly  organized.  A  court  of  justice 
was  established,  to  hold  quarterly  sessions  at  Harrodsburg, 
which  was  composed  of  six  or  eight  men,  respectable  for 
talent  and  information.  They  were,  ex  oJiciOf  justices  of 
peace.  They  could,  besides,  hold  monthly  sessions  for 
the  despatch  of  ordinary  business.  Benjamin  Lcgan  was 
of  their  number.  They  were  duly  attended  by  their  sher- 
iff. The  officers  for  a  regiment  of  militia  were  commis- 
sioned. They  immediately  classed  the  citizens,  whether 
resident  or  not,  in  companies  or  battalions.    The  military 


62 


JNDIAN  WARS 


operations  were  under  the  control  of  a  county  lieutenant, 
with  the  title  of  colonel. 

During  the  winter  the  Indians  were  forced  into  a  kind 
of  truce  by  the  severity  of  the  season.  The  return  of 
spring  brought  with  it  the  renewal  of  Indian  hostilities. 
Benjamin  Logan  removed  to  his  own  ^amp,  which  he  for- 
tified for  defence.  Although  the  Indians  were  in  the  coun- 
try, this  camp  escaped  attack  until  May.  Harrodsburg 
was  attacked  in  March.  From  the  beginning  this  had 
been  the  strongest  post  in  the  country.  Unfortunately,  at 
the  time  of  the  assault,  some  of  the  men  that  belonged  to 
it  were  absent.  The  6th  of  Mar(^,  a  large  party  of  Indi- 
ans, marching  privately  through  the  woods,  surprised  three 
persons  who  were  making  an  improvement.  One  was  ta- 
ken prisoner.  One  was  killed  and  one  escaped,  and  gave 
information  to  the  garrison  of  Harrodsburg,  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Indians.  He  was  a  mere  youth,  by  name, 
James  Ray,  the  same  who  was  afterwards  General  Ray. 
The  Indians,  aware  that  the  place  was  forewarned,  and 
prepared  fov  them,  deferred  the  attack  until  the  next  day, 
when  Harrodsburg  was  infested,  after  the  Indian  method 
of  warfare.  The  notice,  short  as  it  was,  had  enabled  the 
people  to  put  the  place  in  the  best  order  for  defence.  The 
fire  commenced,  and  some  were  wounded  on  both  sides. 
The  assailants  soon  became  satisfied  with  their  reception, 
and  withdrew,  leaving  one  of  their  number  slain  behind. 
This  fact  always  indicates  great  discomfiture  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians,  or  greater  rashness  on  the  part  of  the  slain. 
For  it  is  well  known  to  be  their  most  sacred  and  invaria- 
ble custom,  to  remove  their  dead  and  wounded.  This  cus- 
tom, probably,  has  its  origin  in  a  purpose  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  ascertaining  their  loss. 

After  their  repulse,  the  Indians  encamped  in  a  body 
near  the  fort.  They  were  in  too  great  numbers  to  be  pur- 
sued. On  the  15th  of  April,  Boonesborough  in  turn  was 
attacked  by  one  hundred  savages.  They  were  received 
there  with  such  a  determined  spirit,  that  they  retired  after 
having  killed  one  person,  and  wounded  four.  Their  own 
killed  and  wounded  were  withdrawn,  so  that  their  loss  could 
not  be  ascertained.    Nearly  the  same  number,  and  proba* 


OF  THE  WEST. 


63 


bly  the  samo  force  that  had  besieged  Boonesborougli,  soon 
aftorvvards  attacked  L'^gan's  fort.  It  coatainod  fiileun  per- 
sons, of  whom  two  were  killed,  and  a  third  wounded.  Tho 
enemy's  loss,  as  before,  was  not  ascertained.  The  forts 
of  B jone  and  Harrod  were  about  equi-distant  from  Lo- 
gan's; and  they  were  tho  only  phces,  whence  help  could 
be  expected.  These  places,  besides,  were  kept  in  such 
continual  alarm,  that  it  was  useless  to  look  for  help  from 
them.  Tlie  little  garris3n  suffered  greatly.  They  were 
sustained  by  the  dauntless  example  of  Logan,  and  a  con- 
sciousness of  the  result  of  capture.  The  savages  hung 
pertinaciously  round  the  fort,  as  though  determined  to  reap 
the  full  measure  of  vengeance,  of  which  they  had  been  dis- 
appointed at  the  two  other  forts. 

At  the  mjment  of  attack,  the  women  were  without  the 
fort,  milking  the  cows.  The  men  were  guarding  them. 
The  Indians  approached  them  under  covert  of  a  thick  cane 
brake,  which  had  not  been  cleared  away  around  the  cab- 
ins. Thence  they  fired  upon  the  people,  and  killed  two, 
as  we  have  mentioned.  A  third  person  was  wounded. 
The  remainder  with  the  women  reached  the  fort  unhurt. 
As  soon  as  they  reached  the  fort,  the  Indians,  unwilling 
to  lose  their  powder  and  lead,  relaxed  their  fire.  An  affec- 
ting incident  occurred,  which,  as  strongly  illustrative  of 
Indian  manners.,  and  the  circumstances  of  these  kinds  of 
warfare,  we  will  relate. 

The  besieged,  looking  from  the  fort,  perceived  that  one 
of  those  whom  they  had  supposed  killed  by  the  Indian  fire, 
was  still  alive,  and  struggling  to  crawl  towards  the  fort. 
He  evidently  dreaded  being  mangled  and  scalped  by  the 
Indiini^;  and  yet  seemed  to  feel  that  if  he  made  exertions 
to  dra^r  himself  to  the  fort,  they  might  be  sufficient  to  at- 
tract the  attention  of  the  Indians,  and  yet  not  sufficient  to 
enable  him  to  accomplish  his  purpose.  The  unhappy  man, 
meanwhile,  knew  that  he  had  a  family  id  the  fort,  and 
that  deliverance  was  within  a  few  rods  of  him.  The  gen- 
erous feelings  of  the  intrepid  Logan  would  not  allow  him 
to  S83  him  making  these  ineffectual  struggles,  without  an 
eff)rt  to  aid  him.  He  tried  to  raise  volunteers  from  the 
garrison,  to  go  out  with  him,  and  nmke  an  exertion  to  brin^ 


V 

■    %4: 


•>M-«« 


64 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  wounded  man  in.  But  such  was  the  probability  that 
death  would  be  the  forfeit  of  the  exposure,  that  none  could 
be  found,  but  a  certain  man,  named  Martin,  who  nad  pri- 
ded himself  on  the  reputation  of  a  sol.lier,  to  offer  his  ser- 
vices. The  man  raised  himself  upon  his  knees,  and  seem- 
ed to  be  strug;Tling  forward.  The  twj  intended  deliver- 
ers proceeded  together  to  the  gate.  At  that  point  Martin 
recoiled  and  turned  back;  Logan  was  lofl  alone.  He  saw 
the  poor  man,  after  crawling  a  few  steps,  fink  to  the  earth. 
His  compassion  could  not  sustain  the  sight.  Collecting 
his  powers,  and  putting  his  life  in  his  hand,  he  rushed 
forth,  took'  up  the  half  dead  viptim  in  his  arms,  and  bore 
him  amidst  a  shower  of  balls  into  the  fort.  Som3  of  the 
balls  were  buried  in  the  pallisades  close  by  his  head. 

But  along  with  this  happy  omen,  another  of  a  different 
aspect  was  seen.  On  the  r3turn  of  the  wounded  man,  the 
garrison  discovered  that  they  had  but  a  few  more  shots  of 
ammunition  left;  and  there  was  no  chance  of  replenishing 
their  stock,  nearer  than  the  other  two  forts.  They  were 
aware  at  the  same  time,  that  these  garrisons  would  need  all 
they  had  for  themselves.  To  detach  any  of  their  number 
to  go  to  the  settlement  on  Holston.  would  be  so  to  weaken 
theirnumber  as  to  leave  them  almost  a  certain  prey  to  the 
invader.  To  sustain  the  siege  without  ammunition,  was 
impossible.  To  go  to  Holston  was  the  elected  alternative. 
As  the  life  of  every  member  of  the  garrison  depended  upon 
the  success  of  the  expedition,  it  was  necessary  to  select  on 
the  party,  men  who  could  judge  with  promptness  and 
decision,  what  was  best  to  be  done  in  cases  of  emergency; 
and  who  were  expert  woodsmen,  and  capable  of  sustaining 
every  kind  of  fatigue  and  suffering. 

Logan,  indispensible  as  his  presence  was  in  the  garri- 
son, was  unanimously  elected  to  head  tlie  party,  to  be  de- 
spatched on  this  still  more  important  expedition.  It  would 
be  difficult  fof  imagination  to  group  a  more  affecting  pic- 
ture, than  the  parting  of  this  small  forlorn  hope  from  their 
families,  left  in  the  desolate  forests  thus  reduced  in  num- 
bers, and  without  ammunition,  and  surrounded  by  a  sav- 
age foe.  We  can  see  them  looking  back  upon  the  pale 
faces  of  their  families,  and  contemplating  from  the  thick 


OF  THE  WEST. 


C«^ 


cane  brake,  the  pathless  wildernera,  which  their  imagina* 
tiotid  woaid  naturally  represent  filled  with  their  ruthless 
enemies.  Bit  these  men  of  iron  sinew,  although  they  had 
generous  and  tender  hearts,  had  sound  judgments  and 
strong  minds.  They  felt  that  the  step  was  necessary. 
They  might  be  allowed  to  drop  ^niliiral  tear»,^  and  to  cast 
fond  lo3ks  behini,  as  they  went  forth  with  stealthy  pace 
from  their  weeping  friends,  to  thread  their  way  through 
the  woods  without  being  seen  by  the  besieging  savages. 
Th^y  took  for  this  purpose,  an  entirely  untrodden  track 
through  the  forests;  and  crossed  the  Cumberland  moun- 
tain by  a  route,  which  had,  probably,  never  been  troddea 
before.     We  presume  it  never  has  been  since. 

They  reached  Holston  in  safety;  and  obtained  the^re- 
quisite  supplies.  Logan  entrusted  them  to  the  remainder 
of  his  small  party,  with  directions  how  to  proceed ;  and 
started  on  hiu  way  home  alone,  preceding  the  slower  ad-^ 
vance  of  this  party,  to  carry  in  ammunition.  Within  ten 
days  from  the  time  of  his  departure  from  the  fort,  he  per- 
formi^d  this  !ong,  hazardous,  lonely  journey,  and  reached 
the  fort  agaii.t.  It  was  still  invested  by  the  savages,  and 
almost  in  despair.  His  return  seemed  an  interposition 
of  Providence,  and  naturally  tended  to  invigorate  and  en- 
f  oiirage  the  besieged.  The  return  of  the  party  soon  after, 
with  ammunition,  yielded  them  the  physical  means  of  an- 
noying the  enemy,  and  sustaining  the  siege. 

A  new  difficulty  arose.  The  garrison  was  approaching 
a  state  of  starvation,  and  must  hunt  to  relieve  their  neces- 
sities. This  new  difficulty  once  more  spread  the  gloom  of 
despair  over  th3ir  prospects.  But  as  they  were  resign- 
ing their  hopes  of  escaping  the  savages,  Colonel  Bowman 
arrived  at  the  fort  with  an  hundred  men,  and  dispersed 
them.  The  Canadians  left  a  proclamation  which  had  been 
prepared  by  the  governor  of  Canada.  It  seemed  to  be  in- 
tended for  circulation  among  the  people.  It  offered  pro- 
tection to  those  of  the  people  who  would  abjure  their  alle- 
giance to  the  revolted  colonies,  and  threatened  those  who 
would  not.  The  paper  was  Carried  to  Logan,  who  con^ 
cealed  it  carefully  through  fear  of  the  effect  it  might  work 
upoa  the  minds  of  the  people. 

6* 


66 


INDIAN  WARS 


#■•'♦- 


The  arrival  of  ths  force  under  Colonel  Bjwman,  and 
the  consequent  dispersion  of  the  Indians,  was  calculated 
to  raisa  the  spirits  of  the  garrison.  But  in  the  midst  of 
their  exultation  and  joy,  they  learned  that  his  men  were 
enlisted  but  for  a  short  time,  great  part  of  which  had  beea 
consura3d  on  their  march  to  their  relief.  They  foresaw 
that  the  departure  of  this  force  would  be  the  sure  renewal 
of  the  horrors  of  the  Indian  invasion.  They  were  again 
in  want  of  ammunition;  and  Logan  again  undertook  the 
long  and  lonoly  expedition  to  Holston;  and  once  more  re- 
turned with  a  supply.  Nothing  inspires  animation  and  in- 
trepidity in  men,  like  seeing  by  experiment  what  may  be 
done  by  patience  and  courage,  in  sustaining  or  vanquish- 
ing difficulties,  and  oeiig  found  equal  to  all  emergencies. 
About  this  time,  too,  they  were  animated  by  being  joined 
by  Mr.  Montgomery  with  a  party  of  soldiers. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  the  Indians,  untiring  and  determin- 
ed in  their  hostilities,  again  attacked  Boonesborough.  To 
prevent  this  fjrt  from  receiving  assistance  from  the  two 
others,  they  had  recourse  to  their  customary  plan  of  an- 
noyance; and  sent  detachments  from  their  miin  body,  to 
intimidate  each  of  Ihe  forts,  so  as  to  prevent  its  aiding  the 
other.  In  this  siege  the  Indians  killed  one  man,  and  woun- 
ded two  others.  It  was  ascertained  thai  they  lost  some  of 
their  own  number,  although  the  killed  were  removed,  ac- 
cording to  cuftom.  Thdy  kept  up  the  siege  with  great 
vigor  two  days  and. nights;  but  finding  all  their  efforts  to 
take  the  place  in«flbctual,  they  suddenly  disappoired. 

On  the  25th  of  this  month,  a  party  consisting  of  forty- 
five  men,  joined  Bjonc  from  North  Carolina.  In  the  in- 
tervals of  these  sieges,  the  inhabitants  of  the  forts  cleared 
and  cidtivated  their  fields.  A  part  kept  guard,  while  the 
other  part  labored.  This  state  of contiiiied  hostility  ni- 
turally  inspired  a  spirit  of  adventurous  revenge;  and  gave 
to  thes?  contests  all  the  interest,  which  th3  strongest  feal- 
ings  of  the  human  heart  can  impart.  The  continued  re- 
currence of  danger,  cr  ited  a  natural  callousness  and  in- 
difference to  it;  and  it  became  a  point  of  keen  and  intense 
study,  which  party  should  see  each  other  first,  and  get  the 
first  shot.    Jn  this  species  of  dexterity  the  woodsmen  were 


OF  THE  WEST, 


617 


quite  as  close  and  sure  marksmen  as  the  savages.  The 
latter  began  to  acquire  a  respectful  caution,  in  reference 
to  m3eting  the  former,  and  were  very  shy  in  approaching 
the  garrisons;  Ihe  Indians  had  already  denominated  the 
Virginians,  as  has  been  seen,  *Long  Knife.'  They  could 
naw  add  that  they  were  close  shaoters-  Winter  returned, 
and  the  Indians  as  usual  left  tliem.  The  term  of  service, 
also,  of  the  militia  men  of  wham  we  have  spoken,  expired 
this  autumn,  and  they  returned  to  their  homes.  There  re- 
mained at  Boonesborough  twenty-*  wo,  and  at  Harrodsburg 
sixty-five,  and  at  Logan's  fort  fifteen  men. 

The  1st  of  January,  1776,  Boone  with  thirty  men,  went 
to  the  lower  *Blue  licks'  to  make  salt  for  the  different  set- 
tletnants.  The  7th  of  the  next  month,  while  he  was  in  the 
woods,  on  a  hunt  to  supply  the  salt  makers  with  food,  he 
came  upon  a  party  of  one  hundred  and  two  Indians,  march- 
ing to  tliC  assault  of  Boonesborough,  the  third  attempt  up- 
on th'd  ill-fated  place.  It  was  clearly  of  all  the  settle- 
men'.s,  the  object  of  their  most  settled  dislike  and  revenge. 
B)one  flad^  but  the  savages  pursued  and  took  him  prisoner. 
They  then  advanced  upon  the  licks  and  made  twenty-sev- 
en of  the  salt  mr-kers  prisoners  by  capitulation.  The  In- 
dians, delighte '^  with  this  signal  success,  marched  their 
prisoners  in  trium^jh  through  the  forests,  and  across  the 
Ohio  to  Cliillicothe.  On  this  march  the  weather  was  ex- 
ce3dingly  inclement,  and  suffering  from  its  severity  in 
com;non  with  their  prisoners,  induced  the  savages  to  show 
lenity  to  them.  If,  instead  of  marching  hom3  with  their 
spoils,  the  savages  had  bent  all  their  efforts  against  Boones- 
borough, weakened  as  it  v/as  by  the  loss  of  so  many  ofrits 
in:5n,  it  is  probable  that  they  would  this  time  have  succeed- 
ed in  capturing  the  place.  Flushed  by  this  success,  they 
wo.ild  have  vanquishsd  the  oth'ir  two  forts,  and,  no  doubt, 
wo;ild  hive  murdered  the  inhabitants,  as  they  threaljned, 
an  I  would  thus  have  broken  up  the  settlements  for  this 
time.  Bit  though  the  savages  generally  manifest  suffi- 
cient cunning,  they  appear  to  want  combined  thought;  and 
seldom  make  use  of  one  advsintage,  as  a  mean  of  obtaining 
another;  and  notwithstanding  their  own  exultation,  and 
the  depression  of  the  settlers,  in  consequence  of  tliis  great 


iirai 


68 


INDIAN  WARS 


success,  they  left  the  forts  unmolested  for  a  consiJerable 
tin(i3  aflervirards.  Could  ths  savages  have  realizsd  all  the 
misery  which  the  inhabitants  sjfTdred,  in  consequence  of 
the  carrying  off  so  many  of  their  numbers  into  such  a 
dreadful  captivity,  even  thair  vindictive  spirit  would  have 
been  satisfied  with  the  extent  of  the  suffering  inflicted. 

In  the  manth  of  March,  eleven  of  the  prisaaers,  among 
whom  was  Bjone,  were  led  away  from  Chillicothe  to  De- 
troit, and  presented  to  the  British  commandant,  Hamilton. 
Tho  governor  offered  them  an  hundred  pounds,  as  a  ran- 
som  for  Bjone,  intending,  as  he  said,  to  set  him  at  liberty 
on  a  parole;  for  the  readar  will  not  need  to  be  informed 
that  this  was  at  th3  commancement  of  the  revolutionary '  ] 
war.  They  refused,  it.  A  situation  more  vexatious  to  a 
spirit  Uke  his,  than  that  in  which  he  was  thus  placed,  can 
not  easily  be  imagined.  The  least  attempted  movement 
towards  escape  would  alarm  the  vigilant  savages,  and  on 
the  other  hand  he  refused  the  off^r  of  supplies  of  indispen- 
sable nscessaries  by  the  British,  as  enemies  of  his  country, 
and  as  never  expecting  to  be  able  to  repay  them.  The 
companions  of  his  captivity  were  left  to  the  British  at  De- 
troit, and  he  was  compelled  to  return  with  his  savage  n:as- 
ters  to  Chillicothe.  Soon  after  his  return  to  that  place,  he 
was  adopted  into  the  family  of  one  of  the  principal  men  of 
the  tribe,  and  wisely  appeared  to.be  reconciled  to  his  new 
way  of  life,  and  to  accommodate  himself  to  it  with  cheer- 
fulness. Such  deportment  by  such  a  mighty  hunter  and 
untamed  spirit,  could  not  but  win  the  confidence  and  af- 
fection of  his  masters.  When  challenged  to  a  trial  of  his 
skill  with  the  rifle,  he  foand  it  much  less  difficult  to  sur- 
pass them  in  the  closeness  of  his  shooting,  than  to  van- 
quish the  envy  and  ill  will  created  by  this  visible  superi- 
ority in  a  point  of  so  much  importance  in  the  eyes  of  that 
race.  He  proved  himself  a  most  successful  hunter.  He 
found  it  easy  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  king  chief  of 
the  Shawnese,  by  showing  great  apparent  deferoace  to 
him,  and  by  always  granting  him  a  share  of  the  proceeds 
of  his  hunt.  Thus  leading  a  life  in  accordance  with  his 
instmctive  propensities,  and  acquired  habits,  and  in  great 
honor  among  tliat  primitive  race;  it  ia  probable,  that  his 


OF  THE  WEST. 


69 


seeming  acquiescence  to  his  lot  would  have  become  real, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  remembrance  of  his  wife  and  child- 
ren at  Boonesborough.     But  these  cherished  recollections 
haunted  him,  and  continually  prompted  the  desire  and  the 
purpose  to  escape.      In  June  following  his  captivity  ,he 
was  taken  to  tne  Scioto  salt  works,  and  there  employed  so 
diligently  in  making  salt  that  he  fornd  no  means  of  escape. 
On  his  return  with  his  masters  to  Chillicothe,  he  found 
four  hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  in  all  their  horrible  paint- 
ing and  war  garnish,  prepared  for  an  expedition  against 
Boonesborough.     With  all  the  love  of  country  and  family, 
natural  to  such  a  man,  he  now  for  the  first  time  rejoiced 
in  his  captivity,  as  it  enabled  him  to  obtain  such  informa- 
tion respecting  the  objects  of  this  expedition,  as,  could  he 
transmit  it  to  the  fort,  might  save  it  from  destruction.    He 
determined  to  put  in  execution  his  long  meditated  purpose 
of  escape.    He  arose  early  in  the  morning,  and  was  al- 
lowed to  go  forth  as  usual  to  hunt.    He  contrived  to  se- 
crete a  little  food,  enough  to  answer  for  one  meal,  and  with 
this  slender  provision  made  his  escape.     In  less  than  five 
days  he  traversed  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles, 
in  which  distance,  besides  other  rivers,  he  crossed  the  O- 
hio.    He  made  but  one  meal  on  the  journey.     The  fort 
was  found  in  no  state  of  preparation  for  the  formidable  at- 
tack that  was  preparing  for  it.    But  this  forewarning,  a 
distinct  perception  of  the  danger,  and  the  energy  and  in- 
dustry of  Boone  soon  put  it  in  as  high  a  state  of  defence 
as  their  means  and  the  shortness  of  the  time  of  prepara- 
tion would  allow. 

Having  made  their  preparations,  the  garrison  were  now 
anxiously  awaiting  the  appearance  of  their  enemy.  The 
escape  of  one  of  Bjone's  companions  from  captivity  brought 
news  of  the  expedition  to  the  fort,  and  informed  that  in 
consequence  of  his  escape,  the  expedition  had  been  defer- 
red three  weeks.  Fortunately,  the  garrison  had  received 
accessions  of  considerable  numbers,  since  the  captivity  of 
Boone.  Meanwhile,  Boone  determined  to  anticipate  their 
movements.  With  nineteen  select  associates,  he  set  out 
from  the  fort,  on  an  expedition  to  surprise  '  Paint  creek 
town,^  an  Indian  village  on  the  Sciuto.    Having  arrived 


Mm 


fv  wm 


f 


70 


INDIAN  WARS 


within  four  miles  of  that  place,  thoy  were  met  by  thirty 
Indians,  wh3  were  marching  to  join  the  main  army,  now 
on  its  way  to  B  lonesborough.  A  battle  was  immediately 
commenced,  which  terminated  in  the  flight  of  the  savages. 
Not  a  mm  of  Boone's  party  fell.  Bjone  immediately 
marched  back  towards  Boonesborough,  with  all  possible 
despatch.  On  the  sixth  day  of  his  marjh,  he  passed  the 
main  Indian  army  unperceived,  and  on  the  seventh  arrived 
at  the  fort. 

The  day  after  his  arrival,  the  Indian  force  appeared, 
commanded  by  Captain  Daquesne,  eleven  other  Canadi- 
an Frenchmen,  and  a  number  of  savage  chiefs.  The  Brit- 
ish flag  was  displayed- in  their  centre.  They  immediate- 
ly invested  the  fort  and  sent  a  regular  summons,  requiring 
Boone  to  surrender.  This  was  by  far  the  most  imposing 
force  that  had  ever  been  seen  in  the  country ;  and  it  was 
natural  that  the  first  view  of  it  should  produce  consterna- 
tion. Boone  requested  two  days,  in  which  to  consider  the 
propriety  of  a  surrender;  and  the  savages  weakly  granted 
the  request.  The  garrison  consisted  of  fifly  man,  and  the 
odds  .in  numbers  was  fearful.  Boone  assembled  them; 
harangued  them  and  placed  before  them  the  chances  of 
their  alternatives  ;  on  the  one  hand  victory  or  defeat,  ia 
case  of  resistance;  and  on  the  -other  hand  the  entire  plun- 
der, and  the  hopeless  condition  of  captivity,  in  consequence 
of  surrender.  The  consultation  was  short,  and  the  answer 
unanimous,  that  as  long  as  one  man  lived,  the  fort  should 
be  defended.  It  may  be  supposed  that  the  garrison  dili- 
gently employed  these  two  days  of  truce,  in  completing 
their  defences.  They  had  collected  their  CLUti«r  and  hor- 
ses, and  driven  them  into  the  fort.  At  the  expinrtion  of 
the  time,  Boone,  from  one  of  the  bastions,  thanked  th?  com- 
mander of  the  Indians,  for  the  time  allowed  him  for  pre- 
paration, and  proclaimed  the  result  of  the  determinations 
of  the  garrison.  Duquesne,  disappointed  in  the  expecta- 
tion of  surrender,  endeavored  to  carry  his  point  by  dupli- 
city. He  declared  that  he  was  charged  by  governor  Ham- 
ilton, to  take  the  garrison  prisoners;  but  not  to  treat  them 
harshly,  and  that  if  nine  of  the  principal  men  would  come 
out,  and  enter  into  parley  with  him,  he  would  withdraw, 
upon  condition  that  the  garrison  would  swear  alleg^anco 


men,  w'a 


OF  THE  WEST- 


71 


to  his  master.  To  treat  upon  such  terms  would  at  least 
gain  time,  and  Boone  consented.  The  conference  was 
opened  within  fifty  yards  ot  the  fort  gate.  The  articles 
were  few,  explicit,  and  soon  settled.  B  Jt  it  was  remarked 
that  many  of  the  Indians,  who  had  nothing  to  do  in  the  trea- 
ty, stalked  ahout  the  contracting  parties,  under  suspicious 
circumstances.  The  articles  were  signed.  Boone  was 
informed  that  it  was  customary  in  such  cases,  that  two 
principal  Indians  should  Bhake  hands  with  one  of  each  of 
the  whites.  This,  too,  was  granted ;  and  two  approaching 
each  of  the  nine,  endeavored  tc  drag  them  off  as  prisoners. 
Boone  instantly  perceived  their  purpose.  He  and  his  men, 
by  a  violent  struggle,  disengaged  themselves  from  the  grasp 
of  the  Indians,  and  made  for  the  fort.  A  volley  of  balls 
was  fired  upon  them,  and  one  man  was  wov.nded.  The 
enemy  immediately  resumed  an  unremitting  attack.  The 
besiegers  soon  attempted  to  undermine  the  fort.  This  at- 
tempt  was  probably  dictated  to  them  by  their  French  com- 
mander; for  they  knew  little  of  war,  except  the  use  of  gun- 
powder and  brute  force.  The  garrison  discovered  that 
their  enemy  was  attempting  to  undermine  the  fort,  on  the 
side  of  the  river,  by  remarking  that  the  river,  which  was 
clear  above,  was  turbid  below,  with  the  earth  and  clay 
thrown  out  by  the  excavation.  To  counteract  the  effect  of 
this  mine,  the  garrison  dug  a  trench  within ;  and  by  throw- 
ing the  earth  of  the  trench  over  the  wall,  manifested  to 
their  foe  that  they  penetrated  their  purpose.  Perceiving 
that  they  were  not  like  to  carry  their  purpose,  either  by 
fraud  or  force,  the  enemy  decamped  on  the  20th  of  August. 
Two  men  were  killed,  and  four  wounded  in  the  fort.'  The 
savages  had  thirty-seven  killed.  TUe  number  of  their 
wounded  could  not  be  ascertained  from  the  circumstance 
that  they  were  immediately  carried  off.  This  was  the 
last  combined  and  powerful  effort  against  Boonesborough. 
The  assailants  were  to  the  besieged,  as  six  to  one.  They 
had  skilful  leaders,  and  were  not  deficient  in  ferocious 
courage.  The  walls  of  the  fortification  were  combustible, 
and  but  twelve  feet  high ;  and  the  gastrison  no  better  arm- 
ed or  supplied  than  their  foe.  It  was  a  striking  example 
of  the  difficulty  of  conquering  a  small  force  of  intrepid 
men,  w'»o  have  determined  never  to  surrender. 


V'H 


*i 


TO 


INDIAN  WARS 


In  the  succeetling  autumn,  Boone  made  a  journey  to 
North  Carolina  to  bring  back  his  wife,  who,  during  his 
captivity  among  the  Indians,  had  returned  to  her  father's 
house,  despairing  of  his  return.  The  Indians  had  made 
no  open  attack  upon  Logan's  fort,  during  this  period.  He 
had,  however,  casual  skirmishes  with  them,  as  his  men 
met  them  at  different  points  in  the  woods.  In  one  of  thase 
rencontres  he  was  severely  wounded.  That  these  infant 
settlements  survived  these  sustained  hostilities  of  the  sav- 
ages, and  continued  to  increase  in  the  woods,  so  far  away 
from  the  protection  of  the  parent  state,  evidences  the  in- 
trepidity and  spirit  of  these  primitive  nurslings  of  storms 
and  dangers.  All  this  while,  the  parent  state  was  engaged 
in  a  struggle  for  existence  with  the  gigantic  force  of  Great 
Britain ;  and  could  do  little  more,  than  look  occasionally 
from  her  own  suspended  conflicts,  with  admiration  upoti 
the  bitivery  of  her  children  in  the  new  country,  contend- 
ing with  hosts  of  savages,  headed,  urged  on,  and  supplied 
by  the  British  of  Canada,  with  the  means  of  annoyance. 
But  in  1778,  having  a  moment  ofbreathing  time,  Virginia 
felt  that  s«und  policy,  as  well  as  maternal  and  good  feel- 
ing, called  upon  her  for  some  efficient  measures,  to  render 
a  residence  in  the  woods  of  Kentucky  more  safe  and  desi- 
rable.  It  was  within  the  scope  of  her  policy,  to  reduce 
the  British  posts  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Ohio  country,  and 
of  the  Wabash,  whence  the  savages  were  supplied  with 
arms,  munitions,  and  incitement  to  gaily  forth,  and  make 
incursions  upon  the  new  settlements.  For  this  purpose 
she  raised  a  regiment  of  troops,  and  gave  the  command  to 
George  Rogers  Clark.  The  force  consisted  of  between 
two  and  three  hundred  men.  Colonel  Clark  was  intimate- 
ly acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  western  country, 
and,  as  after  events  abundantly  showed,  admirably  quali- 
fied for  a  command  of  this  kind.  His  main  force  descend- 
ed by  water  from  the  M<inongahela  to  tlie  Falls  of  Ohio, 
where  he  was  joined  by  some  troops  from  Kentucky.  Thir- 
teen families  accompanied  him  on  this  expedition,  who  fix- 
ed themselves  on  aif  island  near  the  Falls,  called  since, 
*Com  island.'  This  was  the  germ  whence  sprang  the 
flourishing  town  of  Louisville. 


OF  THE  WEST.  73 


CHAPTER  VI.  ^ 

TIRST  SETTLEMENT  OP  KENTUCKY    CONTINUED. 

The  settlement  which  Colonel  Clark  left  at  *Corn  isl- 
and' hiid  a  deep  interest  in  his  success.  They  were  sixty 
or  seventy  miles  distant  from  any  aid  in  Kentucky.  They 
were  equally  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  the  British  and  In- 
dians; and  dared  not  remove  from  the  shelter  of  the  island, 
until  aAer  the  capture  of  Vincennes,  by  Colonel  Clark. 
They  then  removed  to  Louisville,  fixing  themselves  just 
below  the  mouth  of  Beargras?.  Being  the  head  quarters 
of  Colonel  Clark,  and  othermse  a  raturally  eligible  situ- 
ation, it  soon  received  «uch  accessions  of  strength  and  num- 
bers, as  to  become  an  important  settlement,  and  the  nu- 
cleus of  various  others. 

We  may,  perhaps,  in  this  place  most  properly  introduce 
another  of  the  famous  pa  rtizans  intiavage  warfare,  Simon 
Kenton,  alias  Butler,  who  from  humble  beginnings,  made 
himself  conspicuous  by  distinguished  services  and  achieve 
ments,in  the  first  settlement  of  this  country,  and  ought  to 
be  recorded  as  one  of  the  patriarchs  of  Kentucky.  He 
was  bom  in  Virginia,  in  1753.  He  grew  to  maturity  with- 
out being  able  to  read  or  write;  but  from  his  early  exploits, 
he  seems  to  have  been  endowed  with  feelings,  which  the 
educated,  and  those  bom  in  the  upper  walks  of  life  appear 
to  suppose  a  monopoly  reserved  for  themselves.  It  is  re- 
corded of  him,  that  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  had  a  vio- 
lent contest  with  another  competitor  for  the  favor  of  the 
lady  of  his  love.  She  refused  to  make  an  election  between 
them;  and  the  subject  of  this  notice  indignantly  exiled  him- 
self from  his  native  place.  After  various  peregrinations 
on  the  long  rivers  of  the  west,  he  fixed  himself  in  Kentucky, 
and  soon  became  a  distinguished  partizan  against  the  sav 
ages.  In  1774,  he  joined  himself  to  Lord  Dunmore,  and 
was  appointed  one  of  his  spies.  He  made  various  excur- 
sions, and  performed  important  services  in  this  employ. 

7 


'1$ 


74 


INDIAN  WARS 


He  finally  selected  a  place  for  improvement  on  the  site 
where  Washington  now  is.  Returning  one  day  from  hunt- 
ing, he  found  one  of  his  companions  slain  by  the  Indians, 
and  his  body  thrown  into  the  fire.  He  lefl  Washington  in 
consequence,  and  joined  himself  to  Colonel  Clark  in  his 
fortunate  and  gallant  expedition  against  Vincennes  and 
Kaskaskia.  He  was  sent  by  that  commander  with  de- 
spatches for  Kentucky.  He  passed  through  the  streets  of 
Vincennes,  then  in  possession  of  the  British  and  Indians, 
without  discovery.  Arriving  at  White  river,  he  and  his 
party  made  a  rail,  on  which  to  cross  with  their  guns  and 
baggage,  driving  their  horses  into  the  river,  and  conipel- 
ling  them  to  swim  it.  A  party  of  Indians  was  concealed 
on  the  opposite  bank,  who  took  possession  of  the  horses  as 
they  mounted  the  bank,  af|er  crossing  the  river.  Butler 
and  his  company  seeing  this,  continued  to  float  down  the 
river  on  their  raft,  without  coming  to  land.  They  conceal- 
ed themselves  in  the  bushes  until  night,  when  diey  cross- 
ed the  river,  pursued  their  journey,  and  delivered  their 
despatches. 

After  this,  Butler  made  a  journey  of  discovery  to  the 
northern  regions  of  the  Ohio  country,  and  was  made  priso- 
ner by  the  Indians.  They  painted  him  black,  as  is  their 
custom,  when  a  victim  is  devoted  to  torture ;  and  inform- 
ed him  that  he  was  destined  to  be  burned  at  Chillicothe. 
Meanwhile,  for  their  own  amusement,  and  as  a  prelude  to 
his  torture,  they  manacled  him  hand  and  foot,  placed  him 
on  an  unbridled  and  unbroken  horse,  and  turned  the  ani- 
mal loose,  driving  it  off  at  its  utmost  speed,  with  shouts, 
delighted  with  witnessing  its  mode  of  managing  under  its 
living  burden.  The  horse,  unable  to  shake  off  this  new 
and  strange  incumbrance,  made  for  the  thickest  covert  of 
woods  and  brambles,  with  the  speed  of  the  winds.  It  is 
easy  to  conjecture  the  position  and  sufferings  of  the  vic- 
tim. The  terrified  animal  exhausted  itself  in  fruitless  ef- 
forts to  shake  off  its  load,  and  worn  down  and  subdued, 
brought  Butler  back  to  the  camp  amidst  the  exulting  yells 
of  the  savages. 

Having  arrived  within  a  mile  of  Chillicothe,  they  halt- 
ed, took  Butler  from  his  horse,  and  tied  him  to  a  stake, 


OF  THE  WEST. 


75 


where  he  remained  twenty-four  hours  in  one  position.  He 
was  taken  from  the  stake  to  *run  the  gauntlet.'  The  Indi- 
an mode  of  managing  this  kind  of  torture  was  as  follows: 
The  inhabitants  of  the  tribe,  old  and  young,  were  placed 
in  parallel  lines,  armed  with  clwhs  and  switches.  The 
victim  was  to  make  his  way  to  the  council  house,  through 
these  files,  every  member  of  which  struggled  to  beat  him, 
as  he  passed,  as  severely  as  possible.  If  he  reached  the 
council  house  alive,  he  was  to  be  spared.  In  the  lines 
were  nearly  six  hundred  Indians,  and  Butler  had  to  make 
his  way  almost  a  mile  in  the  endurance  of  this  infernal 
sport.  He  was  started  by  a  blow ;  but  so(m  broke  through 
the  files,  and  had  almost  rep.ched  the  council  house,  when 
a  stout  warrior  knocked  him  down  with  a  club.  He  was 
severely  beaten  in  this  position,  and  taken  back  again  in- 
to custody.  , 

It  seems  incredible,  that  they  sometimes  rescued  their 
prisoners  from  these  tortures,  adopted  them,  and  treated 
them  with  the  utmost  lenity  and  even  kindness.  At  other 
times,  ingenuity  was  exhausted  to  invent  tortures,  and  every 
renewed  endurance  of  the  victim  seemed  to  stimulate  their 
vengeance  to  new  discoveries  of  cruelty.  Butler  was  one 
of  these  ill-fated  subjects.  No  way  satisfied  with  what 
they  had  done,  they  marched  him  from  village  to  village, 
to  give  all  a  spectacle  of  his  sufferings.  He  ran  the  gaunt- 
let thirteen  times.  He  made  various  attempts  to  escape; 
and  in  one  instance  would  have  efiected  it,  had  he  not  been 
arrested  bj?  some  savages  who  were  accidently  returning 
to  the  village  from  which  he  was  escaping.  It  was  final- 
ly determined  to  burn  him  at  the  lower  Sandusky,  but  an 
apparent  accident  changed  his  destiny. 

In  passing  to  the  stake,  the  procession  went  by  the  cab- 
in of  Simon  Girty,  who  had  just  returned  from  an  unsuc- 
cessful expedition  to  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
wretch  burned  with  disappointment  and  revenge ;  and  hear- 
ing that  there  was  a  white  man  going  to  the  torture,  de- 
termined to  wreak  his  vengeance  on  him.  He  found  the 
unfortunate  Butler,  threw  him  to  the  ground,  and  began  to 
beat  him.  Butler,  who  instantly  recognized  in  Girty  a 
former  companion  of  his  youth,  made  himself  known,  ta 


70 


INDIAN  WARS 


him.  His  savage  he^irt  relented.  He  raised  him  up,  am) 
promised  to  usa  his  influence  to  save  him.  Girty  had  a 
council  called,  anJ  he  moved  the  savn^cs  to  give  Biller 
up  to  him.  He  took  the  unfortunate  man  home,  fed,  and 
clothed  him,  and  B  itier  began  to  recrijit  from  his  wounds 
and  torture.  But  the  relenting  of  the  savages  in  his  favor 
was  only  momentory.  After  five  days,  ihay  repented  of 
their  relaxation  in  his  favor,  reclaimed  him,  and  marched 
him  to  Lower  Sandusky  to  be  burned,  according  to  their 
original  purpose.  By  a  surprising  coincidence,  he  there 
met  the  Indian  agent  from  Detroit,  who  from  motives  of 
humanity,  exerted  his  influence  with  the  savages  for  his 
release,  and  took  him  with  him  to  Detroit.  Here  he  was 
paroled  by  the  governor.  He  escaped,  and  by  a  march  of 
thirty  days  through  the  wilderness,  reached  Kentucky. 

In  1779,  while  the  states  generally  were  strugglins:  with 
the  taxes  and  burdens  of  the  revolutionary  war,  without 
means  or  resources,  Virginia  discovered  that  she  possess- 
ed an  unwrought  mine  in  her  rich  western  lands.  In  this 
year  she  opened  a  land  office  for  the  sale  of  these  lands, 
prescribing  the  terms  of  con  yance;  and  found  that  after 
ail  legal  claims  and  grants  were  filled, an  immense  extent 
of  country  still  remained  at  her  disposal.  The  successes 
of  Colonel  Clark,  and  the  clearness  and  security  of  the  of- 
fered titles,  induced  many  immigrants  to  repair  to  the  coun- 
try. Some  settled  near  tha  old  stations;  and  some  scat* 
tered  themselves  in  new  positions  in  the  woods,  as  their 
fancy  led  them  to  setecf;  and  the  general  and  promiscu- 
ous settlement  of  the  country  may  be  said  now  to  have 
fairly  commenced. 

In  April,  1779,  a  block  hous?^  was  built  on  the  present 
site  of  Lexino^on.  Several  stations  were  selected  in  this 
vicinity,  and  in  that  of  the  present  position  of  Danville. 
Settlements  were  also  made  this  year  on  the  watersof  Bear- 
grass,  Green,  and  Licking;  rivers.  A  station  was  a  collect- 
ed parallelogram  of  cabins,  united  by  palisades,  so  as  to 
present  a  continued  wall  on  the  outer  side;  and  the  cabin 
doors  opened  into  a  common  square  o  >  the  inner  side  Of 
course,  these  stations  were  the  strong  h)lds  of  the  settlers. 
They  united  the  3trength,  furnished  the  society,  and  ce- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


77 


irtented  the  friendships  of  the  inhabitRnts;  and  were  often 
the  germs  of  populous  and  busy  villnges.  Adventurers 
cDwdeJ  upon  the  country,  SDme  selecting  lands  for  imme- 
diate and  pormano.il  settlement;  and  others  choosing  spots 
on  which  they  purposed  hereafter  to  build,  returned  to 
their  native  place. 

The  In  Jians,  though  thay  mMst  now  have  perceived  the 
imp)ssibility  of  arres:.in|  this  advance  of  population,  and 
the  permmont  occupancy  of  these  h  niting  grounds,  con- 
tinued their  pertinacious  purpose  of  reven-?e,  by  their  cus- 
toniiry  nndes  of  detached  agijression,  and  the  murder  of 
individuals  and  families.  It  is  astonishing^,  haw  little  tho 
frequent  recurrence  of  these  terrible  catastrophes  seems  to 
have  retarded  the  sattlemcnt  of  the  country,  and  the  stea- 
dy advance  of  the  settlers  in  building  and  improvement. 
The  people  began  to  be  conscious  of  their  s'rengih,  and 
of  the  necessity  of  an  efficient  union,  to  put  an  end  to  the 
aggressions  of  the  savages.  An  assemblage  of  the  settle"*" 
was  called  at  Hirrods'jurg,  to  devise  the  means  of  carry- 
ing their  purposes  into  effect.  The  result  jif  tho  common 
council  was  to  carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's  country ; 
and,  as  the  Shawnese  had  been  most  conspicuous  in  their 
hostilities,  it  was  determined  to  fit  out  an  expedition  against 
old  Chillicothe,  which  was  their  chief  town.  The  volun- 
teers were  to  unite  at  Harrodsburg,  and  the  command  was 
assigned  to  Colonel  Bjwman.  Logan,  Holder,  Harrod, 
and  B  ilger  commanded  under  him.  Some  of  the  most  re- 
spectable citizens  of  the  country  served  as  privates.  The 
united  force  amounted  to  two  hundred. 

They  reached  Chillicothe  undiscovered  in  July,  towards 
sunset.  After  ''  3 liberation,  it  was  determined  to  defer  the 
attack,  until  the  dawn  of  the  succeeding  morning.  The 
force  was  divided  into  two  detiichments,  one  commanded 
by  Cjlonel  Bjwman,  and  the  other  by  Captain  Logan. 
The  one  party  was  ordered  to  march  to  the  right,  and  the 
other  to  the  left;  and  upon  a  given  signal,  to  surround  the 
town,  and  attack  it  in  concert.  The  party  commanded 
by  Logan  repaired  to  the  assignsd  point,  and  waited  in 
vain  for  the  signal.  The  attention  of  the  Indians  was 
drawn  to  this  point  by  the  barking  of  a  dog.*  At  this  mo- 

7» 


*• 


78 


INDIAN  WARS 


ment  one  of  the  other  party  discharged  u  gun.  The  whole 
village  of  course  was  alarmed  in  a  moment.  The  women 
and  children  were  hurr'ed  into  the  woods,  through  a  path 
not  yet  occupied  hy  the  assailants;  and  the  warriors  coU 
lected  in  a  strong  cabin.  All  this  passed  under  the  eyea 
of  Logan^s  party,  who  immediately  took  possession  of  «ome 
of  the  deserted  cabins.  It  was  now  day  light,  and  fre- 
quent shots  were  exchanged  between  the  parties.  The 
expedient  of  Logan,  to  inarch  safely  to  the  assault  of  the 
cabin  was  an  ingenious  one ;  and  as  far  as  our  reading  eX' 
tends,  original.  He  proposed  to  his  party,  to  tear  off  the 
Indian  cabin  doors,  and  each  to  carry  one  before  him  as  a 
breast  work,  in  advancing  upon  the  Indian  cabin,  where 
the  warriors  were  assembled.  As  they  were  marching 
upon  the  foe  behind  their  miveable  wall.  Colonel  Bowman 
perceiving  that  their  plan  of  surprising  the  Indians  was 
dis'.-oncerted,  sent  them  an  order  to  retreat.  Captain  Lo' 
gan's  party  w^^-e  astonished  at  thi»  order,  and  reluctant  to 
obey  It.  The  reii'eat  must  take  place  over  an  open  prai- 
rie, exposed  to  the  covert  fire  of  the  Indians.  Instead  of 
a  concerted  retreat  in  good  order,  ©very  one  endeavored 
to  make  the  best  of  his  way  from  the  danger,  in  the  mode 
dictated  by  his  own  judgment.  Each  one  started  away 
from  behind  his  concealment ;  and  made  for  the  wood  at 
his  utmost  speed.  Some  of  their  number  fell  by  the  bul- 
lets, which  the  savages  showered  upon  them  as  they  fled 
over  the  prairie.  The  stragglers  assembled  in  the  woods, 
and  resumed  something  like  order.  The  Indians  sallied 
out  upon  the  invaders,  commanded  by  their  chief.  Black 
Fish.  They  were  much  inferior  in  numbers,  not  exceed- 
ing thirty;  yet  Colonel  Bowman's  force,  once  intimidated, 
continued  to  fly  before  them  under  the  impulse  of  terror, 
and  were  severely  pressed.  His  force  was  brought  to  a 
halt,  in  a  low  and  sheltered  ground.  His  fire  upon  the 
surrounding  enemy,  who  were  protected  behind  bushes, 
produced  little  effect.  Captains  Logan  and  Harrod,  and 
others  mounted  some  pack  horses,  and  made  a  charge  up- 
on the  Indians.  This  assault  somewhat  staggered  them. 
Black  Fish  was  killed,  and  the  Indians  in  their  turn  took 
to  flight.    The  men  pursued  an  unmolested  march  home- 


fi* 


OP  THE  WEST. 


79 


Wardis.  In  this  ill  managed  expedition  nine  men  were 
killed  and  one  wounded.  The  Indian  loss  was  compara" 
tiveiy  small.  Only  two  or  three  werolknown  to  be  killed. 
The  winter  of  1779  and  'SO,  was  remarkable  for  its 
length  and  severity,  and  the  accumulation  of  ice  and 
snow.  Many  families  immigrating  to  the  country,  in  their 
transit  over  the  mountains,  were  arrested  by  the  snows, 
and  suffered  exceedingly  from  cold  and  hunger.  Their 
cattle  perished;  and  in  some  cases  the  owners  were  cor.> 
palled,  by  starvation,  to  feed  upon  their  bodies.  When 
thoy  arrived  in  Kentucky,  they  found,  indeed,  plenty  of 
animal  food;  but  the  grain  of  the  country  had  been  all 
consumed.  They  were  introduced  to  the  new  modes  ofa 
backwoods  life,  by  being  obliged  to  subsist  upon  milk  and 
meat.  The  arrival  of  so  many  new  settlers  in  the  spring, 
rendered  all  the  stations  so  crowded,  that  it  was  found  ne- 
cessary to  establish  many  new  settlements  in  the  forests. 
The  old  stations,  in  the  central  parts  of  the  state,  were,  of 
course,  the  safest  from  Indian  attack;  and  the  country  had 
now  an  interior  and  a  frontier;  a  safe  and  an  exposed  re- 
gion. Many  of  the  settlers  at  the  close  of  this  year,  had 
a  rustic  abundance  of  all  that  the  country  could  supply. 
Some  of  the  immigrants  of  this  year  were  men  distinguish- 
ed  for  talents  and  standing  in  the  regions  from  which  they 
came.  Among  them  we  may  name  Colonel  Thomas  Mar- 
shall, who  had  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  of  Bran- 
dywine.  Colonel  Slaughter,  als;:),  descended  the  Ohio,  to 
the  Falls  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  Virginia  soldiers. 
This  force  added  to  that  of  Cjlonel  Clark,  already  sta- 
tioned  there,  gave  this  place  the  aspect  ofa  regular  fortifi- 
cation. The  effect,  however,  was  not  such  as  might  have 
been  hoped.  The  people  became  confident,  and  careless, 
in  their  imagin3d  sscurity.  The  Indians  derived  more  ad- 
vantages than  the  whites  from  the  protection  of  the  Ohio. 
They  could  cross  that  river  in  their  canoes  at  any  point, 
ravage,  plunder,  murder, and  return  before  the  people  could 
be  sufficiently  aroused  to  pursue  them;  and  when  once 
they  had  the  Ohio  in  their  front,  and  the  interminable  for- 
ests north  of  it  in  their  rear,  it  was  useless  to  follow  them. 
Sometimes  th^  soldiers  met  them  and  measured  back  a  se- 
vere retaliation. 


INDIAN  WAftS 

Meanwhile,  the  British  commandant  at  Detroit,  having 
recovered  from  the  consteniatiim  of  the  blow  struck  by  Co- 
lonel Ciark,  and  feari;ig  the  effect  it  might  produce  upon 
his  InJiau  allies,  p:epared  to  measure  back  a  severer  blow 
th:ia  Kentucky  had  yet  felt.     He  cjucerted  an  expedition 
with  the  InJian  chiefs.     Six  hundred  Iniians  and  Canadi- 
ans compased  it.     They  were  commanded  by  Colonel 
Byrd,  a  British  officer.     It  was  appointed  with  two  field 
pieces,  and  its  first  point  of  destination  was  Louisville. 
The  summer  of  1780,  was  uncommonly  wet;  and  all  the 
streams  were  full  to  overflowing.    This  circumstance  in- 
duced  the  commander  to  change  his  original  destination, 
and  to  ascend  the  river  Licking,  which  was  sufficiently 
high  to  afford  a  water  passage  to  his  force  and  artillery 
by  that  route,  to  the  very  centre  of  the  country.     Colonel 
Byrd  landed  his  men  and  munitions  on  the  point  at  tho 
forks  of  Licking.     His  f  )rce  consisted  of  one  thousand  men. 
He  reached  Ruddle''s  station  the  2'2d  of  June.     This  was 
a  new  stockade  station,  incapable  of  any  defence  against 
artillery.     The  excessive  rains  had  driven  the  wood  cut- 
ters frcn  their  usiii^l  business  in  the  woods,  to  seek  shelter 
under  the  roofs  of  the  stations*     Bvrd  arrived  undiscov- 
ered;  and  the  first  notice  of  the  people  in  R,uddle\{  station 
of  his  approach,  was  announced  by  the  discharge  of  hia 
cannon.     He  sent  in  a  flag,  demandinsr  an  in::riiediate  sur- 
render  at  discretion.     This  demand  Ruddle  refused,  ex- 
cept on  condition  that  the  men  surrendered  should  be  the 
prisoners  of  the  British,  and  not  of  the  Indians.     Colonel 
Byrd  consented  to  these  terms,  and  immediately  the  gates 
were  opened  to  him*     The  Indians  rushed  into  the  fort, 
snd  each  one  laid  hisi  savage  hands  upon  the  first  person 
that  presented.    Parea*^  and  children,  h  isbands  and  wives 
were  thus  dispersed  and  separated  in  a  moment.    There 
are  i'ew,  who  can  not  imagine  the  wailing,  the  consterna- 
tion and  agony  of  children  divided  from  their  parents,  and 
parents  torn  from  their  children.     Ruddle  remonstrated 
against  thece  cruel  enonnities  to  no  purpose.     Colonel 
Byrd  had  even  some  semblance  of  reason  in  his  apology- 
He  declared  his  utter  inability  to  control  i^avages  so  much 
more  numerous  than  his  own  troopS|  and  aflirnr.ad  that  ho 
himself  was  in  their  power. 


m 


iS 


OF  THE  WEST. 


81 


Af^er  this  station  was  thoroughly  plundered,  and  the 
possession  of  the  prisoners  settled,  the  savages  proposed  to 
march  immediately  thence  to  the  attack  of  Martin's  sta- 
tion, at  the  distance  of  five  miles.  Colonel  Byrd  had'been 
so  much  affected  with  the  barbarity  of  the  savages  here, 
that  he  peremptorily  refused,  unless  the  chiefs  would  gua- 
rantee to  him  that  the  prisoners  should  be  entirely  in  his 
possession,  and  that  the  plunder  only  should  be  theirs. 
They  consented.  The  station  was  taken  without  opposi- 
tion, and  the  prison.^rs  and  plunder  were  divided  accord- 
ing to  the  terms  of  their  compact.  The  ease  with  which 
these  conquests  had  been  made,  only  stimulated  the  Indi- 
an appetite  for  more.  The  savages  clamored  to  be  led 
against  Bryant's  station,  and  Lexiugtoii.  Colonel  Byrd 
declined,  and  assigned  as  reasons,  that  success  was  impro- 
bable; that  it  was  impossible  to  procure  a  sufficiency  of 
provisions  for  the  prisoners  they  already  had  ;  that  it 
would  be  utterly  impracticable  to  convey  their  artillery  to 
any  point  of  the  Ohio,  after  the  waters  should  have  fallen; 
and  that  as  there  was  a  prospect  of  the  speedy  fall  of  the 
waters  of  Lickmg,  prudence  called  upon  them  to  avail 
themselves  of  their  present  advantages,  and  descend  the 
river  immediately. 

Movv^d  by  these  reasons,  the  British  and  Indians  com- 
menced their  return  march.  They  descended  to  their 
boats,  wh.ch  they  had  left  at  the  forks,  embarked  their  ar- 
tillery and  munitions  on  board  and  began  to  descen<l  the 
river.  At  the  forks,  fha  Indians  separated  from  the  Brit- 
ish, taking  with  them  the  prisoners  captured  at  Ruddle's 
station. 

The  escape  of  Hinkston  from  his  savage  captors,  fur- 
nishes an  event  of  interest.  He  was  remarkable  for  his 
iact  and  skill,  as  a  woodsman;  an  J  in  this  escape  evinced 
those  powers  of  reasoning  from  circumstances,  which 
would  have  escaped  any  observation,  but  one  exercised 
like  his;  powers,  which  seem  like  the  mysterious  teaching 
of  instinct.  The  second  night  of  their  march,  the  Indians 
encamped  near  the  banks  of  the  river.  It  rained,  and  the 
cam,o  fires  were  not  kind'ed  un'il  afier  the  dusk  of  evening. 
Part  of  the  savages  guarded  the  prisoners,  and  part  kia^^ 


1 


INDIAN  WARS 

died  the  fires.  While  they  were  so  occupied,  Hinkston 
sprang  away  from  them.  The  alarm  was  given,  anu  the 
Indians  pursued  him  in  every  direction.  Ho  ran  but  a  lit- 
tle distance  before  he  laid  down  behind  a  great  log,  in  the 
deep  shade  of  a  spreading  tree.  As  soon  as  he  perceived 
that  the  uproar  occasioned  by  his  escape  had  subsided,  he 
recommenced  his  flight  as  silently  as  possible.  The  night 
was  profoundly  dark;  and  even  his  experience  could  dis- 
cern no  marks  by  which  to  steer.  After  travelling  some 
time,  as  he  supposed,  in  the  direction  of  Lexington,  he 
found  to  his  terror,  that  he  had  circled  back  in  sight  of  the 
camp  fires  again.  There  was  no  mark  in  the  sky.  He 
could  not  see  the  moss  on  the  trees  j  and  could  think  of  no 
clue  to  the  points  of  the  compass.  Here  he  availed  him- 
self of  his  woodland  skill.  It  occurred  to  him,  that  al- 
though he  could  not  ascertain  the  direction  of  the  air  by 
his  feelings,  ho  might  in  another  way.  He  dipped  his 
hand  in  the  water.  When  he  raised  it,  he  knew  that  evap- 
oration and  coolness  would  take  place  on  that  side  of  his 
hand,  from  which  the  wind  came.  He  had  observed  that 
the  wind  was  in  the  west  at  sunset.  Guided  by  this  sure 
indication,  he  once  more  resumed  his  flight.  After  travel- 
ling for  some  time,  he  sat  down,  exhausted,  at  the  foot  of 
a  tree,  and  fell  asleep.  Just  before  day  arose  a  dense  fog, 
in  which  a  man  could  not  be  seen  at  any  distance.  This 
saved  h'm  when  the  light  of  dawn  appeared.  His  ear 
was  assailed  with  the  howl  of  wolves,  the  bleating  of 
fawns,  the  gobbling  of  turkeys,  the  hooting  of  owls,  and 
the  cries  of  the  wild  animals  of  the  wilderness.  He  was 
enough  acquainted  with  savage  customs,  to  be  aware  that 
these  cries  were  savage  imitations,  to  entice  the  animals 
within  the  reach  of  their  rifles.  They  pointed  out  to  him, 
also,  his  own  danger.  He  found  himself  more  than  once 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  foe.  But  he  escaped  all  the 
dangers  and  arrived  safe  at  Lexington.  He  reached  there 
eight  days  after  the  capture  of  Ruddle's  station,  and 
brought  the  first  intelligence  of  that  event. 

The  Indians  crossed  the  Ohio  with  their  plunder  and 
numerous  horses,  at  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  there  dis- 
persed.    The  British  descended  the  Licking  to  the  Ohio, 


% 


OF  THE  WEST. 


^ 


,  anu  ttie 
but  a  lit- 
ig,  in  the 
erceived 
sided,  he 
'he  night 
ould  (Us- 
ing some 
gton,  he 
ht  of  the 
ky.    He 
nk  of  no 
iled  him- 
i,  that  al- 
tie  air  by 
pped  his 
hat  cvap- 
de  of  his 
rved  that 
this  sure 
3r  travel- 
le  foot  of 
ense  fog, 

;.     This 

His  ear 
Bating  of 
)wlg,  and 

He  was 
vare  that 

animals 
it  to  him, 
han  once 
1  all  the 
led  there 
tion,  and 

ndfji'  and 
there  dis- 
he  Ohio, 


and  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami,  intending 
to  ascend  that  river,  qh  far  as  its  depth  of  water  would  al- 
low the  transport  of  the  artillery.  The  cannon  were 
to  be  left  there,  and  the  forces  were  to  march  over  land  to 
Detroit.  ' 

The  panic,  occasionod  by  this  severe  blow,  turned  all 
eyes  in  Kentucky  upon  General  Clark,  whose  counsels 
were  received  as  oracular  and  imj>erative.  He  advised  a 
levy  of  four-f|fths  of  all  the  men  in  the  country,  capable 
of  bearing  arms,  to  be  assembled  a  the  mouth  of  Licking, 
m  the  7th  of  July.  Colonels  Logan,  Slaughter,  Lynn, 
Floyd,  and  Harrod,  were  to  command  under  hiim.  He 
ordered  the  building  of  a  number  of  transport  boats  at 
Louisville.  The  command  of  them  was  given  to  Colonel 
Slaughter,  and  they  were  ordered  up  the  Ohio  to  Licking, 
with  provisions  and  stores.  In  ascending  \he  Ohio,  these 
boats  were  compeliv^d  to  keep  near  the  shore.  They  were 
worked  up  the  river  in  two  divisions,  one  on  each  shore. 
It  happened  that  while  one  of  the  boats  was  near  the  north 
shore,  a  party  of  Indians  descended  the  bank,  firud  into 
the  boat,  and  killed  and  wounded  a  number  of  the  people, 
before  the  other  boats  could  assemble  to  their  assistance. 
On  the  way  to  the  place  of  rendezvous,  one  of  Logan's 
men  deserted,  taking  with  him  a  valuable  horse.  It  was 
supposed  that  he  had  fled  with  the  horse  to  Carolina.  But 
on  the  arrival  of  the  detachment  at  the  mouth  of  Licking, 
the  horse  was  found  there,  and  it  was  ascertaiued  that  this 
traitor  had  •^one  ovcjr  to  the  Indians,  and  had  given  them 
notice  of  the  approaching  expedition. 

On  the  2d  day  of  August,  1780,  General  Clark,  with 
his  troops,  took  up  the  line  of  march  from  the  place  where 
Cincinnati  now  stands,  for  the  Indian  towns.  The  army 
marched  in  two  divisions,  and  consisted  of  nine  hundred 
and  seventy  men.  The  force  was  arranged  according  to 
the  most  rigid  precepts  of  war ;  and  proceeded,  without 
interruption  to  the  Indian  towns,  where  they  arrived  the 
6th  of  the  month.  They  found  the  first  town  abandoned, 
and  many  of  the  houses  burning,  having  been  fired  the 
preceding  morning.  They  cut  down  several  hundred  acres 
of  corn.    At  four,  in  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  they 


.  mm,^ 


84 


INDIAN  WARS 


inarched  for  the  Piqua  towns,  distant  twelve  miles.  They 
had  but  just  commenced  their  march,  when  they  were 
drenched  by  a  shower,  accompanied  with  thunder  and  wind. 
They  encamped  in  a  hollow  square,  in  the  unpleasant  pre- 
dicament of  being  in  an  enemy  ^s  country,  and  knowing 
that  their  guns  were  all  wet.  With  proper  precaution, 
they  fired  and  reloaded  them;  and  remained  on  the  alert - 
and  prepared  for  action  during  the  night. 

At  two  in  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  they  arrived  at 
Piqua.  As  they  advanced  upon  the  town,  they  were  at- 
tacked by  the  Indians,  who  concealed  themselves  among 
high  weeds,  that  skirted  the  town.  Colonel  Logan,  with 
four  hundred  men,  was  ordered  to  file  off,  and  march  up 
the  river  to  the  east,  and  so  to  post  himself  as  to  prevent 
the  escape  of  the  Indians  in  that  direction.  Another  di* 
vision,  under  Colonels  Lynn,  Floyd,  and  Harrod  were  do* 
tached,  to  cross  the  river  and  encompass  the  town  on  the 
west  side ;  while  General  Clark,  with  the  troops  of  Colonel 
Slaughter,  and  those  attached  to  the  artillery,  advanced 
upon  the  town  in  front.  The  prairie,  where  the  Indians 
who  commenced  the  attack  were  concealed,  was  about  two 
hundred  yards  over.  The  division,  who  were  ordered  to 
encompass  the  town  on  the  west  side,  found  it  necessary 
to  traverse  the  prairie,  in  order  to  avoid  the  fire  of  ine  con- 
cealed enemy.  The  Indians  were  seen  to  understand  the 
purposes  of  the  intended  attack ;  and  evinced  great  fore- 
sight and  skill,  in  arrangements  to  defeat  it.  To  prevent 
being  surrounded  by  the  advance  of  the  detachment  from 
the  west,  they  made  a  powerful  effort  to  turn  the  left  wing. 
To  avoid  this,  Floyd  and  Lynn  extended  their  force  a  mile 
west  of  the  town ;  and  the  engagement  was  warmly  con- 
tested on  both  sides,  until  five  o'clock,  when  the  Indians 
disappeared,  unperceived,  and  a  few  only  remained  in  the 
town.  The  piece  of  cannon  was  brought  up,  and  made  to 
bear  upon  the  houses,  which  soon  dislodged  the  Indians 
that  were  in  them.  A  most  unfortunate  occurrence  took 
place  at  the  close  of  the  action.  A  nephew  of  Colcnel 
Clark,  who  had  be*"  a  prisoner  among  the  Indians,  esca- 
ped from  them  at  this  pcmt  of  the  engagement,  and  wa« 
shot  by  the  troops,  us  supposed  to  he  an  Indian.  Though 
mortally  wounded,  he  survived  some  hours. 


■9» 


OF  THE  WEST.. 


85 


Ik... 


On  searching  (he  houses,  a  Frenchman  was  discovefed, 
concealed  in  one  of  the  cabins.    By  him  the  troops  were- 
informed  that  the  Indians  had  been  instructed  in  all  their 
movements;  and  had  more  than  once  determined  to  at- 
tack them  silently  in  the  night,  with  the  knife  and  the  tom- 
ahawk.   They  had  ititended  this  attack  on  the  evening 
after  the  shower,  knowing  that  the  guns  were  wet,  but  ^. 
were  prevented  by  the  vigilance  of  Colonel  Clark;  aadib^- 
hearing  the  firing  of  the  guiis,  were  convinced  that  the 
rain  had  not  rendered  them  useless.     The  loss  was  nearly 
equal  on  either  side,  amounting  to  twenty  killed.    The 
Piqua  town  was  built  after  the  manner  of  the  French  villa- 
ges.   The  houses  extended  along  the  margin  of  ;;he  river 
Miami)  more  than  three  miles,  and  were  in  many  places 
more  than  twenty  poles  apart.    Girty,  of  whom  we  have 
so  often  spoken,  had  been  made  a  chief  among  the  Min-  >. 
goes,  ftnd  was  in  this  action.    Remarking  the  desperation 
with  which  Colonel  Clark's  men  exposed  themselves  to  the 
hottest  of  the  fire,  he  drew  off  his  three  hundred  Mingoes, 
observing  that  it  was  useless  to  fight  with  fool^  and  mad 
men.    It  was  estimated  that  at  Chiilicothe  and  Piqua,  more 
than  five  hundred  acres  of  corn  were  destroyed,  and  every 
thing  that  related  to  subsistence,  upori  which  the  troopfi 
could  lay  their  hands.    The  policy  that  required  these  se- 
vere measures  was  obvious.     Apart  from  the  gratification 
of  those  feelings  of  revenge  naturally  enkindled  by  the  ex- 
terminating warfare  between  them  and  the  savages,  when  ,. 
these  means  «f  subsistence  were  destroyed,  the  Indians, 
were  obliged  to  hunt  for  food,  and  of  course  to  suspend  tljeir  ii ,, 
hostilities  for  a  season.  i'>f , 

Having  completed  their  work  of  destruction,  the  troops 
commenced  their  return  march.  At  the  mouth  of  Licking 
the  army  dispersed,  and  each  individual  selected  his  own 
mode  and  route  of  return.  Seldom  have  troops  been  , 
known  to  encounter  the  most  severe  toils  and  privations 
more  cheerfully.  The  allowance  had  been  neither  more 
norless  than  six  quarts  of  Indian  corn,  qiid  a  quantitv  of 
salt  for  fpich  man  a  day.  And  this  had  been  their  whole 
subsistence,  e:^cept  the  greep  corn  and  vegetables  which 
they  found  in  the  lad^n  villages,  and  the  chance  game  that 

8 


mfm 


;■■  -t?* 


%i 


/ 


'W. 


86 


INDIAN:  WA B^f 


'■ 


offered  by  the  wtiy.  But  they  were  fully  aware  df  the 
emergency  of  the  case,  and  tliat  if  this  force  was  defeated, 
the  Indians  would  pour  in  upon  the  defonceiess  settle- 
ments, and  butcher  their  wives  and  children  in  detail. 
Their  purpose,  therefore,  was  to  conquer  or  perish. 
'  .  A  severe  action  was  fought  aboutv,thi&  tirao  by  a  small 
party  under  Captain  AquilTa  White.  This  party  followed 
omtb^  trail  of  a  marauding  band  of  Indians  who  werere- 
treatihgi  to  the  Falls  of  Ohio.  White  supposed  that  the 
Indians  had  already  crossed  the  river,  and  was  preparing 
to  cross  it  in4he  pursuit.  The  Indians  were  still  on  the 
south  side,  and  ifixd  upon  his  rear.  Nine  of  his  party, 
which  consisted  of  but  fifteen,  v/ere  wounded,  one  of  them 
mortally.  The  residue  returned  to  the  bank,  facedthe  foe 
and  defeated  them.  ^^  .  ' 

Soon  after  this,  a  station  o«  the  present  site  of  Shdby- 
ville  was  deserted  through  fear  of  the  Indians.  The;  in- 
habitants, while  on  their  way  to  the  settlements  on  Bear- 
grass,  and  while  encumbered  with  carrying  their  effects 
and  baggage,  and  driving  their  cattle,  were  fired  upon  by 
a  large  party  of  Indians^  As  their  wives  and  children 
were  equally  exposed  with  thentselves,  the  men  felt  it 
their  duty  to  disperse,  and  escape  individually  if  they  might. 
Colonel  Floyd  learned  the  puedicumetot  of  these  unfortu- 
nate people.  He  collected  twenty-five  men  and  haateiied 
to  their  relief  He  advanced,  with  great  caution,  but  fell, 
notwithstanding,  into  an  ariabliscade,and  Was  defeated  with 
the  loss  of  half  his  m^n.  The  savages  weije  supposed  to 
have^  been  triple  in  numbers,  andttihe  or  ten  of  them  were 
kilted.  Colonel  Floyd  was  wounded,  and  would  have  fal- 
len into  their  hands,  but  for  the  assistance  of  Captain 
Wells,  who  dismounted,  placed  him  on  his  horse,  and  ran 
by  his  side  to  supiwrt  hinii  His  conduct  was  the  more 
generous,  as  the  two  had  been  personal  enfemies.  But 
from  this  time  until  their  denth  they  were  firm  friends. 

Two  men  of  the  name  of  M'Afeo  of  McAfee's  station, 
near  Harrodsburg,  were  fired  upon.  On^'felK  The  dther 
ran  for  the  fort  at  the  distance  of  a  quarter  of!  a  rilMe.  AH 
Indi{»i  met  hitn.  They  prese«ited  their  rifles^  the  lAute^khia 
of  which  almost  touched.    The  gun  of  the  Yhdiah  missed 


I  \ 


Pf /T?iH5i  mm^' 


m 


fite,  and  \h%r^U/4jeM'  .I'veo  men  coihq  out froii^  the  fort 
on  bearing  the  firing.  M'ACee  watn^  themnot  to  ad- 
vance. One  of  them  not  heeding  tho>  caution,  ran  to  look 
at  the  dead  Indian.  Concealed  Indian^  intercepted  his 
return*  He  was  now  to.  compete  with  the  Indians  in  dex- 
terity, and  the  stake  was  his  life.  He  sprang  from  tree 
to  treepursued  by  them.  ;His  object  \/as  to  avoid  a  shot, 
and  their's  was. to. gain  i^  He  reached  a  fence,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  from  the  fort  in  safety.  As  he  sprang 
over  the  fence,  he  exposed  himselfto  a  shot  from  one  of 
these  staunch  hunters.  He  gained  the  opposite*  side  of 
tha  fence  without  receiving  the  shot,  His  antagonist 
reached  out  his  head  from  behind  bis  tree  to  take  aim,  and 
M'Afee  shot  him  in  ti^e  mouth.  He  arrived  at  the  fort  un- 
touched, experiencing  a  hair  breadth  escape.  The  other 
man  was  fired  upon  by  ^ve  Inidians.  He  took  refuge  be- 
hind a  tree,  and  four  or  'five  more  shots  were  fired  upon 
him.  He  also  escaped  them  all,  and  reached  the  fort  in 
safety.  The  station  >ya9  immediately  attacked  by  this 
same  body  of  Indians;  The  females  moulded  and  melted 
bullets  for  the  men.  .  Afler  an  attack  of  two  hours,  the 
Indians  finding  that  they  produced  >no  effect,  killed  all  the 
cattle  roimJ  the  station  and  withdrew. 

Forty  men  under  the.  command  of  Major  M'Grary,  has- 
tily assetnbled  at  the  alarm,  and  reached  the  station  soon 
after  the  retreat  of  thje  Indians.  They  pursued,  overtook, 
defeated,  and  killed  dij^  of  them.  Qf  their  party  one  was 
killed,, and  one  mortally  wounded.  During  tho  remain- 
der of  this  season,  the  attacks  of  the  Indians  were  in  a 
great,  measure  remitted;  and  the  conviction  seemed  to  be 
increasing^  that  something  more  than  these  desultory  modes 
of  warfare  was  necessary  to  expel  invaders,  who  were  no 
longer  slrangeite^  w.arjdei-iog  over  the  soil,  but  men  fight- 
ing for  their  families  and  fire  sides.  A  general  confede- 
racy of  tlif?  Indiaiii  nations  determined  to  make  one  gralid 
eli'urt,  U»  ullbmluate  this  purpose  the  sacceoding  year. 

The  counties  began 'tO:  wear  tho  form  of  a  regular  and 
oigainzed  government.  Officers,  civil  and  military,  were 
appointed,  and  'thetactB  which  had  hitherto  been  the  spon- 
l&n^nUfJ  lip^i^UtiQl  iftdividufthwilis,  assumed  the  aspect  of 


m 


'itMi 


m 


i?li 


riTDlAN  WARS 


'  erhsiilating  fr(»i  the  body  politic.  Ambi^  the  offi<ders  ap- 
pointed, Daniel  Boone  received  the  commission  of  lieuten- 
ant-colonel. The  courts  of  judicature  had  a  qualified  ju- 
risdiction in  civil  and  criminal  oases.  Capital  causes  of 
the  latter  class  were  tried  in  Virgihia.  Justices  of  the 
peace,  and  monthly  courts  of  sessions  settled  all  the  small- 
er civil  cases.  But  the  simplicity  of  manners  and  habits, 
the  fbllowship  of  suffering  and  danger,  and  a  distinct  per- 
ception of  their  common  exposure  produced  a  state  of  so- 
ciety, little  subjected  to  the  evils  of  litigation.  Colonel 
Clark,^  with  the  title  of  general,  had  received  the  chief 
command  of  all  the  military  force  of  Kentucky.  -  His 
modes  of  defence  were  cheap,  energetic,  and  judicious. 
They  consisted  in  keeping  scouts  and  spies  on  the  frontier, 
and  in  causing  a  row-galley  to  ply  on  the  Ohio,  between 
the  Falls  and  the  mouth  of  Licking,  as  a  floating  battery. 
The  Indians  are  well  known  to  have  almost  a  superstitious 
dread  of  cannon.  This  galley  had  some  four  pounders  on 
board;  and  the  savages  seldom  crossed  the  river  between 

'the  points  where  it  plied.  Had  a  few  such  been  stationed 
on  the  Ohio,  the  Indians  of  the  north-west  would  have  been 
eflTectually  withheld  from  crossing.  But/the  militia  dis- 
liked serving  on  board  of  it,  and  the  regular  forco  having 
melted  away,  the  row-galley  was  laid  tip  before  the  end 
of  the  year.  Many  sales  of  lands  were  effected  in  the  sur- 
veyor's offices,  and  the  tilled  lariB  yieidet}  abundant  crops. 
The  only  considerable  Indian  attack  that  we  have  to  re- 
cord at  this  period,  was  one  made  upon  Montgomery  sta- 
tion, situated  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  Logan's  station, 
and  settled  entirely, with  the  relatives  of  Mrs.  Logan.    Her 

'  father  and  brother  were  killed ;  her  sister,  het*  sister-in-law, 
and  four  children  were  taken  prisoners. 

This  disastrous  intelligence  soon  rea'bhcd  Colonel  Lo- 
gan.   He  collected  part  of  his  garrison  and  hastened  to 

■  the  spot.  He  was  joined  by  the  survivors  of  the  Mont- 
gomery family.  They  marched  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians. 
They  overtook,  attacked,  and  routed  them.  Three  were 
killed  and  one  wounded.  The  captives,  except  one  of  the 
children,  threw  themselves  into  the  thick  brush,  and  the 
Indians  were  too  hotly  pressed  to  search  for  them.    The 


OF  THE  WEST. 


89 


child  that  remained  with  them,  they  killed  to  prevent  its 
escape.    The  two  women  and  three  chiklren  were  retaken. 

In  the  spring  of  1762,  the  people,  who  had  experienced 
a  season  of  repose,  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  the  savage 
confederacy,  of  which  we  have  spoken.  Two  men  wore 
killed  at  Strode^s  station.  The  Indians  spread  over  all  the 
country  in  small  bands,  and  oommenced  their  customary 
desultory  modes  of  ambush  and  murder.  This  circum- 
stance lulled  the  apprehensions  of  the  people,  and  caused 
them  to  neglect  providing  the  means  of  defence  against 
combined  and  powerful  attacks.  In  May,  a  party  of  Wy- 
andotts  assaulted  £stilPs  station,  south  of  Kentucky  river, 
and  ader  killing  one  man,  and  capturing  another,  and  de- 
stroying the  cattle,  withdrew.  Captain  Estill  raised  a  par- 
ty and  pursued  them.  He  overtook  them  on  Licking  fork 
near  Little  mountain.  The  numbers  on  each  side  were 
nearly  equal,  and  the  contest  was  most  obstinately  main- 
tained. Captain  Estill  perceiving  that  the  only  issue 
which  could  be  expected  from  continuing  to  fight  in  this 
way,  would  be  gradually  to  weaken  and  destroy  both  par- 
ties, detached  six  men  under  a  lieutenant,  to  fall  upon  their 
rear.  From  some  cause,  this  detachment  failed  to  fulfil 
the  assigned  duty.  The  savages  perceiving  the  diminu- 
tion of  numbers  from  the  proportionate  slackening  of  the 
fire,  pressed  more  resolutely  upon  Captain  Estill.  The 
party  was  compelled  to  retreat.  The  captain  and  eight  of 
his  men  were  killed,  and  four  of  those  who  escaped  were 
severely  wounded,  A  county,  called  Estill,  commemo- 
rates the  intrepidity,  name,  and  misfortune»  of  this  man. 
The  result  of  this  action  created  great  excitement  and  a- 
larm.  Separate  from  feelings  of  wounded  pride,  the  peo- 
ple remarked  that  the  Indians  had  never  before  been  known 
to  manifest  so  much  military  skill,  and  open  and  manful 
daring,  in  what  might  be  called  a  pitched  battle.  In  sev- 
eral other  assaults  upon  different  stations,  the  savages  gen- 
erally had  the  advantage. 

In  August,  1782,  a  grand  assemblage  of  warriors  con- 
vened at  Chillicothe.  The  Churokoes,  Wyandotts,  Ta- 
was,  Pottowattomies.  and  various  other  tribes  bordering 
on  the  lakes,  were  represented  in  it.    They  were  aided  by 

8* 


^-M 


00 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  counsels  of  Girty  and  M^Kee.  The  hands  of  these 
wretches  were  stained  with  the  innocent  blood  of  women 
and  children ;  and  they  added  the  acquirements  of  the 
whites  to  the  instinct  and  skill  of  the  savages,  whoso  ways 
they  preferred,  and  whose  interests  they  espoused  witn 
even  more  ferocity  than  the  savages  themselves.  Girty 
played  the  orator  on  this  occasion.  His  speech  is  repor- 
ted to  have  been  admirably  calculated  to  arouse  the  mcst 
malignant  feelings  of  vengeance  in  the  savages.  He  paiiv 
ted  to  them  the  delights  of  the  land  of  cane,  clover,  deer, 
and  buffaloes,  and  the  charming  valleys  of  Kentucky,  for 
the  possession  of  which  so  much  blood  had  been  shed, 
He  represented  the  gradual  encroachments  of  the  whites, 
and  the  necessity  of  a  determined  effort,  if  they  would  ev- 
er  regain  possession  of  that  fair  domain.  He  warned  them, 
that  if  the  present  order  of  things  continued,  the  whites 
would  soon  leave  them  no  hunting  grounds,  and  no  means 
of  procuring  rum,  with  which  to  warm  and  cheer  their 
desolate  hearts,  or  blankets  to  clothe  their  naked  backs. 
The  speech  was  received  with  yells  of  entliusiastic  ap- 
plause. •         « 

At  the  close  of  this  harangue,  the  savages  took  up  tlie 
line  of  march  for  Kentucky.  Their  first  poirit  of  destina- 
tion was  Bryant's  station.  It  consisted  of  forty  cabins, 
built  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram,  and  the  intervals  be- 
tween the  houses  were  filled  up  with  pickets  in  the  custom- 
ary manner.  The  four  angles  were  fortified  with  block 
houses.  The  savage  force  arrived  before  the  place,  on 
the  15th  of  the  month.  The  garrison  had  been  weakened 
by  the  desertion  of  most  of  the  immigrants  from  North 
Carolina,  who  had  returned  to  their  own  country  in  dis- 
couragement, occasioned  by  the  death  of  William  Bryant, 
who  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians  at  the  mouth  of  Cane 
run.  Fortunately,  their  loss  had  been  supplied  by  immi- 
grants from  Virginia.  Among. them  was  Robert  Johnson, 
Esq.,  father  of  the  present  Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson.  This 
station  was  more  open  to  the  savage  attacks  than  any  oth- 
er in  Kentucky.  The  Miami  on  the  north,  and  the  Lick- 
ing on  the  south  side  of  Ohio,  were  long  canals  that  con- 
ducted the  savages  from  their  villages  directly  to  this  point. 


« 


OF  THE  WEST. 


91 


There  wore  but  two  other  stations  occupied  at  this  timo, 
north  of  the  Kentucky  river.  These  were  M'Gee's  and 
Stroud's. 

The  savages  reached  this  station  by  night,*  and  the  in- 
habitants were  admonished  of  their  presence  in  the  morn- 
ings by  being  fired  upon  as  they  opened  their  doors.  It 
was  providential  that  the  attack  was  commenced  so  early 
in  the  morning;  for  the  men  of  (he  garrison  were  prepar- 
ing to  march  to  the  aid  of  the  other  two  stations,  the  troops 
of  which  were  reported  to  have  been  attacked  by  the  sava- 
ges. In  k  couple  of  hours  they  would  have  been  on  their 
way,  and  the  men  of  the  fort  would  have  been  reduced  to 
a  mere  handful..  The  garrison  immediately  despatched 
messengers  to  Lexington,  to  announce  the  assault.  On 
arriving  there,  the  messengers  found  that  the  male  inhab- 
itants had  left  that  place,  having  marched  to  the  assistance 
of  Holder.  The  messengers  followed  on  their  route,  and 
overtook  them  at  Boone's  station.  Sixteen  mounted  men, 
and  thirty  on  foot,  were  immediately  detached  to  the  assis- 
tance of  Bryant's  station. 

In  conforrftity  to  the  common  modes  of  Indian  warfare, 
they  attempted  to  gain  the  place  by  stratagem.  A  party 
of  one  hundred  commenced  the  attack  upon  the  south-east 
angle,  ,wi%h  a  view  todraw  the  whole  attention  of  the  gar- 
rison to  that  point.  The  great  body  of  the  enemy,  to  the 
number  of  five  hundred,  lay  concealed  among  the  weeds 
upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  station,  and  within  pistol  shot 
of  the  spring  from  which  it  was  supplied  with  water.  This 
stratagem  was  predicated  on  the  belief,  that  the  people 
would  all  crowd  to  the  point  where  the  attack  commenced, 
and  leave  the  opposite  one  wholly  undefended.  The  gar- 
rison, however,  comprehended  the  whole  purpose;  and  in- 
stead of  returning  the  fire,  instantly  commenced  repairing 
the  palisades,  and  putting  the  station  in  a  condition  of  de- 
fence. ,  Aware  that  the  Indians  were  concealed  near  the 
spring,  they  were  assured  that  they  would  not  fire  until 
they  savy  the  men  repairing  to  that  point.  The  women  in 
this  confidence,  ran  to  the  spring  and  drew  water  fur  the 
supply  of  the  gnri  i?on,  within  shooting  distance  of  the  con- 
cealed Indians.    Whon  a  sufficiency  of  water  had  been 


%* 


^, 


^^> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


,„„     /^       ^      Si.^^ 


1.0 


I.I 


US  12^ 

U£  |2j2    |2.2 


u  lU 


11-25  III  1.4 


1.6 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WIST  h^M\i  S7REET 
WEBSTIR.N.r.  MStO 


A^ 


<^ 


02 


IITDIAN  WARS 


drawn,  and  the  Itation  put  in  &uch  a  state  of  defence,  as 
such  a  short  notice  might  furnish,  thirteen  men  weve  sent 
out  in  the  direction  where  the  fire  commenced.  They 
were  fired  upon  by  one  hundred  Indians,  and  the  ambus, 
cade  rushed  upon  the  side  of  the  fort  which  they  deemed 
waa  now  without  defence.  Their  di^ppointment  may  be 
imagined,  when  they  found  every  thing  prepared  for  their 
reception.  A  well  directed  fire'from  the  garrison  put  the 
savages  to  flight.  Some  of  the  more  desperate  and  daring 
approached  sufficiently  near  to  fire  the  houses,  some  of 
which  were  consumed.  But  an  easterly  wintf  providen- 
tially arose,  and  drove  the  flames  from  the  mass  of  the 
buildings  and  ^e  garrison  was  saved.  .The  enemy  with- 
drew and  concealed  themselves  on  the  bank  of  the  creek 
near  the  spring.  They  had  been  in  some  way  informed  of 
tho  despatch  of  the  two  men  to  Lexington  for  aid ;  and  they 
arranged  an  ambuscade  to  intercept  such  forces  as  might 
be  sent,  on  their  approach  to  the  station.  When  this  rein- 
forcement came  in  sight,  the  firing  had  ceased.  No  ene- 
my was  visible;  and  they  drew  near  in  the  confidence  that 
they  had  come  on  a  false  alarm.  They^ode  forward 
through  a  lane  which  was  ambuscaded  for  one  hundred 
yards  on  either  side  by  Indians.  The  mounted  men  cre-i 
ated  a  dense  cloud  of  dust  as  they  moved  along,  i^he  In- 
dians ilred  upon  them  close  at  hand,  but  the  obscuring  dust 
hindered  theii*  aim.  The  six  rode  through  this  close  fire 
unharmed,  and  without  having  even  a  horse  wounded. 
The  footmen  were  less  fortunate.  They  were  approaching 
the  garrison  through  a  thick  corn  field,  and  in  a  direction 
to  have  reached  it  unobserved  by  the  savages.  But  hear- 
ing the  firing  on  their  mounted  companions,  they  rushed  to 
their  aid,  and  were  intercepted  by  masses  of  the  savages, 
constantly  increasing  between  them  and  the  station.  They 
would  all  have  fallen,  but  for  the  thickness  of  the  com  field. 
1  lese  brave  men  reached  the  fort  with  the  loss  of  two  kill- 
ed'and  four  wounded.  The  cattle  and  sheep  that  came  in 
towards  the  garrison  as  usual  in  the  evening,  were  mostly 
destroyed. 

A  little  af^er  sunset,  (he  famous  Girty  covertly  approach- 
ed the  garrison,  and  on  a  sudden  made  himself  visible  on  a 


'^ 


61'  triB  WEST. 

stumi^  t^^ihence  he  could  be  heard  by  th»  people  within, 
and  demanded  a  surrender  of  the  place.  He  managed  his 
phipoeals  with  na  little  art,  assigning  as  a  reason  for  ma- 
iling thnn,  that  they  were  dicfatod  by  his  humanity;  that 
iioKiaiBe^crf' a  Surrender  heeotrid  knswer  for  the  security  of 
'tlie  prisoners  faiid  that  in  the  ievent  of  taking  the  garrison 
bysfdi^m  hecould  not;  tl^t  cannon  were  approaching  with 
&'1reinfbreement,  and  w(Lid  arrive  that  night;  in  which 
case  the^  must  be  senile  that  defence  of  the  place  would 
be^cdly  unavailing.  His  imposing  manner  had  the  more 
^edt  in  producing^  consternation,  as  the  garrison  knew 
that  the  same  ibes  bad  recelitly  used  cannon  in  the  attack 
dP  Ruddle's  aikl  Martin's  stations.  In  thi>  course  of  his 
hatrungue^'Girty  denaanded  of  the  garrison,  if  they  knew 
whoit'Was  that^jaddressed  them?  A  young  man  by  the 
name  of  Reynoldsj  of  whom  honorable  mention  v<ill  be 
made  hereafter,  observing  the  depressing  ^ect  of  this 
speech)  came'  forward  and  answered  him  to  i^Ks  effecfr— 
that  they  did  know  him  well ;  and  that  he  was  Ibid  in  such 
detesbition  and  contempt,  that  he  himself  bad  named  a 
werthlctea'dog$<that  he  owned  Simon  Girty;  that  the  garri- 
son too,  expeoteid  reinforcements  enough,  to  give  an  ao- 
eount  of  the  cowardly  wretches  that  followed  him ;  that  he, 
for  his  part,  held  them  in  so  much  contempt  that  he  i^ould 
disdain  to  discharge  fire  arms  upon  them,  and  that  if  they 
faifoke  into  the  fort,  he  had  prepared  a  great  number  of 
evitches,  which  he  had  no  doubt  would  be  sufficient  tp 
dhve  the  naked  rascals  out  of  the  country. 

Gifty  seemed  very  little  flattered  or  edified  with  such  an 
imp€^te  reply,  and  aflfecting  to  deplore  their  obstinacy  and 
infatuation,  speedily  retired.  During  the  night  a  small  par- 
ty was  left  to  keep  up  occasional  firing,  and  the  semblance 
of  siege,  but  the  main  body  marched  hastily  away  to  the 
lower  Blue  licks.  The  Indians  and  Canadians  exceeded 
six  hundred,  and  the  besieged  numbered  but  forty-two. 
The  Indians  mMt  have  suffered  a  considerable  loss,  but 
the  amount  is  not  known. 

As  the  battle  of  th#<Blue  licks'  gave  this  pi  vce  a  mel- 
ancholy notoriety,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  pifesent  the  rea- 
der a  gene^  view  of  its  locality^  -  It  is  situated  forty  miles 


m 


mmm/yfM'^ 


.f|19piX<oxing^ii|f find  thiirty, from  ^ryi^t's  stad<)n..  ..-(The 
jnver  Licluiig>at  tl^  plaoi^yiiii  comip<pirSta<gea.of  the  V^er, 
i/»,$bree  hundred  feet  wide.  The  lick  i^  in  an  lellif^tical 
bend  of  the  driver,  <  and  the  lime  stoiie  h«sJ)een>l^idbfiEeij^ 
the  innumerable  herds  of  stnimals  tfaiEtit  in  the  ags^s  pt^st, 
«ame  here  to  drink  *the  v^atiBp,  and  lick  ti^  salt  olay .  It  % 
intereeoted -by  ravines  9ndfi;jiedgyri4ge.  I'heisqpuqptof 
the  ridge  was  sterile  and  -nlrndst  naked  of  ^nihcir^io^Ht 
the  ravines  were  timbered  and  skirted  with  thick  bffi^ 

Shortly  after  the  decampment  of  the  j||tdia{isfroi?ir]^- 
fmt^s  station,  thesoldiers  of  Lexii^gte'n^cll&rrodslturg,  aiod 
Bponesborough  assembled  at  JJFiyaiM^vSf  sji^tion,  to  th0  mM&- 
ibetr  of  one  hua<^red  and  si^ty ^  and;  ^eterixud^d  imtn^itUe- 
ly'to  pursue  (tie  Indians.  They  wfr-ei^ommanjlefihy  Co- 
lonels Todd  and  Trigg.  .  The  odds,  JMirponnt  of  ^ui^iJ^, 
was  very  great  between  this  force  and  tiiat- of  GiKty,  $ut 
they  were  ijtave  land  high  spirited  menvW.ell  mountedj-pro- 
vided,  an4|armed.  The  veteran  Boetne  was  ^moijg  sdiem, 
«nd  they  iKimed  with  «i  desire  to  chastise,  the  insojtj^nt  And 
murderous  ipvaders.  Prudence  shouldyhave  indujo^thetn 
40  wait  for  the  reinforcement  of  Col(^el  Itogan^  #ti0  fwss 
Jcnownto  be  collectingforcesinthe  other  stations,  to  qqw 
diem .  They  rashly  chose  to  march  unaided.  andbyv^u^B' 
iciselv<ss.  On  their  route,  they  soon  came  upon  the  .Indian 
trail.  The  experienced  eye  of  Boone  collected  and  ,jntl|i- 
itively  eomprehended  circumstances  which  convinced  him 
fj|t  onCQy  that  the  savages  wished  to  be  f pursued,  and  tqoiw- 
ceal  their  numbers.  The  first  he  inferred 'from' thefisir- 
cumstance  that  they  had  taken  no  pains  to  eonceaU^eir 
tvail;  the  second  from  the  fact,  that  they  marched  iBiisili- 
■g4e  file,  treading  the  one  in  the  steps  of  the  other,  .so  that 
it  Wias  impossible  to  decypher  their  numbers,  &om;eoun- 
ting  their  footsteps. 

This^^Uant  force  arrived  at  the  lower  Blue, licks,'.with- 
out  having  seen  a  single;Indian,  jQn;re((<^ng  theyiverat 
this  place,  they  discovered  a  fe>w  IdidianS)  <leisttiieljjt  untir- 
ing over  the  Imld  ridge  that  crq)vned  the  fUppevioxtrieQaijlty 
of^lhe  valley.  Theparty  haltedf anfd  the  ogmaiaadeiffcon- 
'8ult«d  Colonel  ;BoQney  as  a  n^an  skilled  in  ilndian  watto; 
aandiof  deep  experience  in  their  iniQ(l^.«>fi«$9AuH  and  ^' 


onf^smm  w^stp;^ 


95 


DUthb€^i«'i|iM^'pU7p<)Sd8,  and  as  also  ae^uamted  ifijth  <lie 
ground:    Colonel  Boone  gave  it  ae^  his  opinion,  ihatihe 
enemy  weire  more  l^an  double  their  nutnberv  and  were  itt' 
the  ravines  in  amf>ush|  that  if  the  troops  advanced  vipOHi 
then))  ^0  Indians  had  the  iadvantage  of  position,  stilt  moral 
thaii  numbere.     He  advised,  therefor^,  that  theii'feTiE^' 
should^  ^itidiet)  into  equalpartS;  that  the  one  part  sfalouM 
match  up  the  rrv^rv-dnd  cvossit  t  Elk  creek  al>eie  thte^ 
upper  ravine,  while  the  oth^r  part  should  take  a  poeitiott)^ 
to  be  able  toco-operate  with  them  in  another  quarter^  Hrttt' 
jnitMs  way  the  advantage  of  position  would  be  takenrfr^' 
the  Indians  and  transferred  to  them;  but  above  all;  hiMli-" 
tioned  thehi  against  crossing  the  riverat  all,  unti^wy^ 
should  have  tsent^ut  spies  thoroughly  to  reconnoitre  the  po> ' 
sition  and  force  Of  the '  m^ages^    The  officers  were  dispo- 
sed^to  listen  to  this  saluMry  counsel  of  wisdom  and  expe- 
rieiide..  '  Bjat  Mijor  Hiigh  M'Gary,  remarkable  for  his  im- 
peta&8i<!y,  e^cd^med'iigainst  the  cowardice  of  delay.  *Iiet  " 
all/  Ori^d'he,  *  who  are  hotcOvrards,  follow  me,  and  I  will 
show  tbetioith»  enemy i''    Saying  this,  he  spurred  his  horsi& 
intothe-kvor.   >A's-hiight  be  expectfed,  the  party  caught 
the  contiigibtis  rashness.    The  officers  were  borne  along^ 
by  th^*tatt8,  aiS'it  crowded  tumultuously  into  the  river. 
After  th^croisBing,  there  was  neither  order  nor  arrange- 
ment j  biftevery  mail  rushed  forward  at  his  own  choice, 
ov^rth©  bare  roeks' towards  the  sheltered  ravines,  and  *h» 
wopd^^groundj  Where  the  Indians  were  ocHioeated  in  closfe^ 

Majors  M'Gary  and  Hai^land,  and  Captain  M'Biide  leicl^ 
th^Siiih^tice.    Girty,  at  the  head  of  a  select  band  of  sava- 
gei^Shtedupoft  them  with  their  customary  yells.    Thei 
contest  was  instantly  fierce  and  sanguinary.    The  Itidi-" 
ans  hfad  ^tery  advantage  both  of  liiimb^  and  pOsitiok 
The  disorderly  front  of  the  assailants  ^vb  them  still  f^ 
ther  siiperioritf  i ; '  llie  right  wing  was  (sockb  turned  j  aiidV  ^ 
retl«At  Wis  iiieviiyble,  and' that  too,  under  the  murderous 
edlgeof^ (h«  t^maha^k.    Golonell^  Todd  aiid  Trigg^  ftbd  • 
MHj^>lifoj^hiHd  fell  early  itk  4U  aetioii.    The  ^UrviVors 
pl^ai^^tlii^]^  ]iett«a«i;!l»'<ltefoi:d>^ll)Ot Elided  bdi^hBd^ 


iti 


INBIAIf  ;WiAB9 


Bui  the  Iiicli9ii8|ptei:p0sed; between  tbeni) andiii|«rp«q[tted 
their  approacli;  to  the  ferd;  thusforGiiigtheii>t<»(ake  to  the 
river,  where  itcouldoQiyi  be  crossed  byBwimminffb<  Qf 
course  the  greatest  camt^e  took  plaeiB  near  the  fora;  aiid 
loany  were  tomahawJked  it)  the  river.  Amaiiiwhose  per- 
8oiia|M  courage  "had  bben  the  subject  of  doubt  and  question, 
here  Jftobly  proved  those  doubts  unfounded.  Ho  hQjit9d:<»i 
the  opposite  bank,  and  animated^thers  to  follow  hisreKani- 
fijif  They  faced  and  con^nienced  a  fire  upon  the  purs^* 
era,  aud  checked  them  for  a  moment;  thereby  enabling 
spme  exhausted  and  wounded  fugitives  to  evade  the-toma- 
hft^,.'k,  already  uplifted  to  destroy  them.  The  brave  and 
beinMmlent  Reynolds,  whose  reply  to  Girty  has  beeo.r^Mr 
tec^Ppnquisbed  his  own  horse  to  Colonel  Robert  Patter- 
soufWho  was  infirm  fromformerwound8,and  was  retreat- 
ing on  foot.  He  thus  enabled  ^at  veteran  to  escf^pe. 
While  thus  signalizing  his  disinteHsted  intre[Hdity,  befell 
himself  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians^  The  pfirtythat 
took  him,  consisted  of  three.  Two,  whites  pfts^  ok  their 
r^reat.  Two  of  the  Indians  purs^ed^  leaving'  hifo  tinder 
the  guard  of  the  third.  His  cajplior  stooped  to^his^moc- 
casin,  and  he  sprang  awaj  from  him  aiid  escaped* i,  It  is 
supposed  that  one-fourth  <^the  men  engaged  in  this  ftction 
were  commissicoied  ojQIkers.  The  whdfe  number  f^gt^^ 
was  one  hundred  and  seventy-six.  Of  these,  sixty -<we 
were  slain,  and  eight  made  prisoners.  Am^^ilhe  mpst 
di^ingutehed  names  of  those  who  fell,  ^ere  thosi^  o^fOoJio- 
nels  Todd  and  Trigg,  Majors  Hariand  uid  Bu^^r^^p-^ 
tains  Gordon  and  M^BriJe,  and  a  son  of  Daniel  IH^euii 
The  loqs  of  the  savages  has  never  been  ascertitiiie(|vl'It 
oould  not  have  equalled  that  of  the  assaiiajpitB,  thaa^/il^^ 
supposed  it  greater.  This  sanguinary  aifiair  took  l^kice, 
Augupt  I9th,  17^»  .    liv/if 

Qoionel  Logan,  on  arriving  at  Bryant's  station^  With  a 
foroe  of  three  himdredmcD)HH]nd  the  troppa  had  alXfody 
marched.  He  made  a  ifapidadvance  ijorhopdl'to  joinihem) 
before  they  should' have  met  with  the  Iilidiuis/  Qi^^ame 
up  with  the  survivorei,  on  their  retr^t  %mi  their  tilt|f<ite4 
conte8t,,iiot.#Tfrom  @r}fa9it'fs  static,  ^e detpno^iiljto 
pwritte  hifl  mpqh  to  the  {l)fi||^;gf9iii|d|^  .tury  ^\^i04tM 


ifip 


OF  THE  WEST. 

he  could  not  aVonge  their  fall.  He  was  joined  hy  many 
friends  of  the  kilJed  and  missing,  from  Lexington  and  Bry- 
ant's station.  They  reached  the  battle  ground  on  the  25tli. 
It  presented  a  heart-rending  spectacle.  Where  so  lately 
had  arisen  the  shout  of  the  robust  aud  intrepid  woodsmen, 
and  the  sharp  yell  of  the  savages,  as  they  closed  in  the 
murderoiui  contest,  the  silence  of  the  wide  forest  was  now 
unbroken,  except  by  birds  of  prey,  as  they  screamed  and 
sailed  over  the  carnage.  The  heat  was  so  excessive,  and 
the  bodies  were  so  changed  by  it,  and  by  the  hideous  gash- 
es and  mangling  of  the  Indian  tomahawk  and  knife,  that 
friends  cou4d  no  longer  recognize  their  dearest  relatives. 
They  performed  the  solemn  rites  of  sepulture,  a|J|iey 
might  upon  the  rocky  ground.  ?|ilw 

The  Indian  forces  that  had  fought  at  Blue  licks,  fiii  the 
exultation  of  victory  and  revenge,  returned  homewards 
with  their  scalps.'  Th($se  from  the  north,  and  they  consti- 
tuted the  greater  numbers,  returned  quietly.  The  wes- 
tern bands  took  their  route  through  Jefferson  county,  in 
hopes  to  add  more  scalps  tc^  the  number  of  their  trophies. 
Colonel  Floyd  led  out  a  force  to  protect  the  country.  They 
marched  through  the  region  on  Salt  river,  and  saw  no  tra^ 
ces  of  Indians.  They  dispersed  on  their  return.  The 
greater  number  of  them  reached  their  station,  and  laid 
down  fatigued  and  exhausted,  without  any  precaution  a- 
gainst  a  foe.  The  Indians  came  upon  them  in  this  predie- 
ament  in  the  night,  and  killed  several  women  and  child* 
ren.  A  few  escaped  under  the  cover  of  the  darkness.  A 
woman  taken  prisoner  that  night,  escaped  from  her  savage 
captors,  by  throwing  herself  into  the  bushes  while  they 
passed  on.  She  wandered  about  the  woods  eighteen  days, 
subsisting  only  on  wild  fruits,  and  was  then  found,  carried 
to  Lynn's  station,  and  survived  the  state  of  extreme  e*- 
haustion  iiv  which  she  was  found.  Another  woman  taken 
with  four  children,  at  the  same  time,  was  carried  to  De>- 
troit. 

The  terrible  blow  which  the  savages  had  struck  at  Blue 
lick,  excited  a  general  and  immediate  purpose  of  retalia- 
tion throqgh  Kentucky,  General  Clark  \.  s  appointed 
commander  in  chief)  and  Colonel  Logan  next  uud^jr  him 

9 


98 


INDIAN  WARS 


in  emnmand  of  the  expedition,  to  be  raised  for  that  purpose. 
The  forces  were  to  rendezvous  at  Licking.  The  last  of 
September,  1782,  General  Clark  with  one  thousand  men 
marched  from  the  present  site  of  Cincinnati,  for  the  Indi- 
an towns  on  the  Miami.  They  fell  in  their  route  upon  the 
camp  of  Simon  €rirty,  who  would  have  been  completely 
surprised  with  his  Lidians,  had  not  a  straggling  savage 
espied  the  advance,  and  reported  it  to  them,  just  in  season 
to  enable  them  to  scatter  in  every  direction.  They  soon 
spread  the  intelligence  that  an  army  from  Kentucky  was 
marching  upon  their  towns. 

As  the  army  approached  the  towns  on  their  toute,  they 
founl^  that  the  inhabitants  had  eVacuated  them,  and  had 
fled  iznb  the  woods.  All  the  cabins  at  Chiilicothe,  Piqua, 
and  Willis'  were  burnt.  Some  skirmishing  took  place, 
however,  in  which  five  Indians  were  killed,  and  seven  made 
prisoners,  without  any  loss  to  the^entuckians,  save  the 
wounding  of  one  man,  which  afterwards  proved  mortal. 
One  distinguished  savage  surrendered  himself,  and  was 
afterwards  inhumanly  murdered  by  one  of  the  troops,  to 
the  deep  regret  and  mortification  of  General  Clark. 

A  femi^le  achievement  of  heroism,  is  worthy  of  record 
in  this  place.  A  party  of  Indians  in  October,  of  this  year, 
approached  a  house  near  the  Crab  orchard.  A  woman 
with  three  children  and  a  negro  servant  were  the  occupants. 
One  of  the  Indians  rushed  into  the  house,  and  made  to- 
wards the  negro.  A  little  girl  instantly  shut  the  door  b^* 
tween  him  and  the  entering  Indians.  The  negro  grap- 
pled with  the  Indian  and  threw  him  down.  The  woman 
seized  an  axe  and  killed  him  with  a  well  directed  blow  on 
the  head.  The  Indians  on  the  outside  hearing  the  mortal 
affray,  attempted  to  cut  down  the  door  with  their  toma- 
hawks.  A  body  of  armed  men  happened  to  be  passing 
that  way,  and  came  to  the  relief  of  the  family,  upon  which 
the  Indians  fled. 

The  summer  of  1783,  was  one  of  repose  and  respite 
from  Indian  War.  Immigrants  continued  to  pour  into  the 
country.  The  rough  aikl  unwrooght  furniture  frcHoa  the 
woods  gave  place  to  cabinet  furniture.  Considerable  mo* 
n»y  oiiculated,  and  labor  was  wcAt  rewarded.    Cattle  and 


OF  THE  WEST. 


go 


flocks  multiplied;  and  that  rank  growth  of  corn  wa?  seen 
in  the  fields,  which  was  the  presage  of  the  abundance  of 
this  state  in  that  article  ever  since.  Wheat  began  to  be 
raised  at  first  as  an  experiment.  Reading  and  writing 
schools  were  commenced.  The  perniciwis  article,  whi»' 
key,  began  to  be  manufactured.  Merchandize  was  wag- 
on^ from  Philadelphia  to  fort  Pitt,  now  Pittsburgh,  and 
was  thence  conveyed  in  flat  boats  to  Louisville,  where  a 
retail  store  was  opened. 

An  amusing  incident  in  the  administration  of  the  laws, 
occurred  at  this  time,  which  may  serve  also,  to  give  a  gen- 
eral idea  of  the  state  of  things  in  the  country.  Thomas 
Paine  had  published  a  book,  the  substance  of  which  wa9 
to  prove  that  Virginia  had  no  right  to  the  Kentucky  lands ; 
but  that  they  belonged  of  right  to  congress.  Two  Penn- 
sylvanians  who  Mad  become  converts  to  this  doctrine,  de- 
scended to  Kentucky  to  proselyte  the  people  there.  One 
went  to  Louisville,  but  gained  no  converts.  The  other 
succeeded  better  at  Lexington.  He  persuaded  some  peo- 
ple to  commence  clearing  in  their  neighbors'  lands,  in  the 
hope,  that  when  these  were  declared  ccmgress  lands,  they 
might  claim  by  pre-emption.  The  occupants  of  these  lands 
were  alarmed,  and  applied  to  a  justice,  to  arrest  this  dis- 
ciple of  Paine's  doctrines,  as  a  disturber  of  the  peace.  .  It 
was  necessary  to  find  a  law  for  the  purpose ;  and  one  was 
discovered  in  the  Virginia  code,  which  made  it  penal  for 
any  one  to  be  the  bearer  of  false  intelligence ;  and  the 
pwson  convicted  was  to  pay  a  mulct  of  tobacco,  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  court.  On  this  statute  the  man  was  arres- 
ted and  brought  up  for  examination.  At  the  second  trial, 
the  man  was  convicted,  as  he  had  not  even  had  the  pre- 
caution to  bring  the  book  with  him ;  and  perhaps  hsid  a 
plagiarizing  purpose,  to  pass  as  the  author  and  inventor 
of  £e  doctrine.  A  great  concourse  of  people  attended  the 
trial.  He  was  sentenced  to  pay  oi .  thousand  pounds  of 
tobacco,  or  go  to  prison.  There,  was  not  that  amount  of 
tobacco  in  the  country.  While  he  was  sadly  ruminating 
with  himself  upon  the  moral  turpitude  and  guilt  of  circu- 
latmg  false  intelligence,  preparatory  to  his  imprisonment, 
it  was  intimated  to  him  that  if  he  left  the  country,  it  would . 


100 


INDIAN  WAItS 


answer  ifhe  laws  as  well  as  if  he  went  to  prison.  The 
man  made  his  election  and  disappeared. 

The  winter  of  1783  and  '84,  was  uncommonly  severe. 
The  accumulation  of  snow  and  ice  did  not  quite  reach  that 
of  the  hard  winter  mentioned  before.  Companies  of  spec- 
ulators in  Kentucky  lands,  were  formed  in  Philadelphia, 
and  a  mercantile  establishment,  of  which  General  Wilkin- 
son was  at  the  head.  The  general  came  out  to  Lexington 
in  February,  1784.  His  appearance,  standing,  rank,  and 
supposed  wealth  procured  for  him  such  a  reception,  as 
might  naturally  be  expected,  in  such  circumstances  of 
the ;  country.  The  time,  within  which  the  British  posts 
on  the  frontiers  should  have  been  evacuated,  elapsed  with- 
out that  desirable  event  taking  place.  The  country  north 
of  Licking  had  been,  as  yet,  unoccupied  by  the  whites, 
through  fear  of  the  northern  savages.  Surveyors  were 
sent  into  this  country  to  survey  it  in  March,  1784.  They 
discovered  that  Indians  were  among  them  in  the  country, 
and  consulted  their  own  safety  by  returning. 

Many  of  the  more  thinking  and  intelligent  people  in  the 
country,  wished  to  put  an  end  to  this  long  series  of  mur- 
ders and  retaliations,  by  inviting  the  Indians  into  the  set- 
tlements, and  treating  them  with  kindness,  and  by  inspi- 
ring them  with  confidence,  creating  in  them  pacific  senti- 
ments. There  were  others,  who  in  remembrance  of  mur- 
dered friends,  had  sworn  irreconcilable  enmity.  By  a  man 
cf  such  feelings,  an  Indian  was  enticed  into  the  woods  and 
murdered.  An  attempt  was  made  to  discover  and  punish 
the  assassin  ,*  but  this  was  found  impracticable.  The  clouds 
of  another  Indian  war  were  ga:thering.  It  had  been  sus- 
pended for  a  while.  This  was  one  among  many  circum- 
stances that  caused  it  to  burst  anew. 

In  1784,  Simon  Kenton  re-occuped  the  settlement  near 
Washington,  which  he  had  commenced  in  1775.  Associ- 
ated with  a  number  of  people,  he  erected  a  block  house, 
and  made  a  station  here.  This  became  an  important  point 
of  covering  and  defence  for  the  interior  country.  Immi- 
grants felt  more  confidence  in  landing  at  Limestone.  To 
render  this  confidence  more  complete,  Kenton  and  his  .^as- 
sociates built  a  block  house  at  Limestone.     Two  men  of 


f-- 


?0T  THE  WEST. 


101 


#e  name  of  Tanner  had  made  a  small  settlemen  the  year 
preceding  at  Blue  lick,  and  were  now  making  salt  there. 
The  route  from  Limestone  to  Lexington  became  one  of  the 
most  general  travel  for  immigrants,  and  many  stations 
sprung  up  upon  it.  Travellers  to  the  country  had  hitherto 
been  compelled  to  sleep  under  the  open  canopy,  exposed 
to  the  rains  and  dews  of  the  night.  But  cabins  were  now 
80  common  that  they  might  generally  repose  under  a  roof, 
that  sheltered  them  from  the  weathiBr;  and  find  a  bright 
fire,  plenty  of  food,  and  with  the  rustic  fare,  a  most  cheer- 
ful and  cordial  welcome:  The  people  of  these  new  re- 
gions were  hospitable  from  native  inclination.  They  mere 
hospitable  from  circumstances.  None  but  those  who  dwell 
in  a  wilderness  where  the  savages  roam,  and  the  wolves 
howl,  can  understand  all  the  pleasant  associations,  connee> 
ted  with  the  sight  of  a  stranger  of  the  same  race.  The  en- 
tertainer feh  himself  stronger  from  the  presence  of  his  guest. 
His  offered  food  and  fare  were  the  spoils  of  the  chase.  He 
kard  news  from  the  old  settlements,  and  the  great  world, 
aid  he  saw  in  the  accession  of  every  stranger,  a  new  gua- 
r^iitee  of  the  sec^ity,*  wealth,  and  improvement  of  the  in- 
fant country  where  he  had  chos'^n  his  resting  place. 

In  October,  1785,  Mr.  M'Clure  and  family,  in  company 
with  a  number  of  families,  was  attacked  and  defeated  on 
Skegg's  creek.  Six  were  killed,  and  Mrs.  M'Clure,  her 
child,  and  a  number  of  others  made  prisoners.  The  at- 
tack was  made  in  the  night.  The  circumstances  of  the 
capture  of  Mrs.  M'Clure  furnishes  an  affecting  incident, 
illustrating  the  invincib)e  force  of  maternal  affection.  She 
had  secreted  herself  with  her  four  children  among  thick 
brush,  which,  together  with  the  darkness,  screened  her 
from  observation.  Had  she  chosen  to  have  lefl  her  infant 
at  a  distance,  she  might  have  escaped.  But  she  held  it  to 
her  boeom,  aware  that  its  shrieks  would  make  known  her 
covert.  The  Indians,  directed  by  its  cries,  killed  the  three 
lai^er  children,  and  took  her  and  h^  infant  captives.  This 
uftmrtuaate  woman  was  obliged  to  aoc(»npany  their  march 
on  an  untamed  and  unbroken  hcMrse.  Intelligence  of  this  mas- 
sacre'circulated  rapidly.  Captam  WfaiUey  immediately 
collected  twenty  ona  men  from  the  adjoining  statioDS,  over- 

9*  • 


102 


INDIAN  WARS 


took,  and  kilted  two  of  them,  and  retook  Mrs.  M^Clure,  her 
babe,  a  negro  woman,  and  the  scalps  of  the  six  persons, 
whom  the  Indians  had  killed.  Ten  days  afterwards,  an- 
other party  of  immigrants  led  by  Mr.  Moore,  were  attacked, 
and  nine  of  their  number  killed.  Captain  Whitloy  pursu- 
ed the  perpetrators  of  this  bloody  act,  with  thirty  men.  On 
the  sixth  day  of  pursuit,  he  came  up  with  twenty  mounted 
Indians,  clad  in  the  dresses  of  those  whom  they  had  slain. 
They  dismounted  and  fled.  Three  of  them  were  killed. 
The  pursuers  recovered  eight  scalps,  aiid  all  the  plunder 
which  the  Indians  had  cdlected'ac  the  late  massacre. 

In  consequence  of  the  recommendation  to  the  county- 
lieutenants,  an  expedition  was  got  up  against  the  Wabash 
Indians.  The  command  was  given  to  General  Clark.  It 
consisted  of  nearly  one  thousand  men,  and  marched  for  the 
Indian  towns  from  Louisville.  The  pro"'  »ons  and  muni- 
tions proceeded  for  the  Wabash  in  boats.  The  men  arri- 
ved near  the  towns  befors  their  provisions.  They  became 
discontented  and  mutinous  in  consequence.  Gen.  Clark 
called  a  council  of  his  oflicers,  and  finding  it  impossible  to 
appease  the  discontents  of  the  soldiers,||^arched  them  back 
without  striking  a  blow. 

.  Colonel  Logan  at  the  same  time  raised  a  force  to  march 
against  the  Shawnese  Indians  who  dwelt  on  the  Scioto.  He 
rightly  deemed  that  the  Indians  there  would  have  their 
thoughts  turned  towards  General  Clark's  expedition,  so  as 
to  leave  their  own  towns  unprotected.  It  was  some  time 
before  he  was  able  to  collect  a  sufficient  force.  He  reach- 
ed, and  surprised  an  Indian  town,  killed  a  number  of  the 
warriorsj  and  took  most  of  the  women  and  children  pris- 
oners. • 

In  October,  1785,  the  national  government  convoked  a 
general  meeting  of  the  Indian  tribes  north  of  the  Ohio,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami.  The  commissioners  to 
meet  them  were  General  Butler  from  Pennsylvania,  Gen- 
eral Clark  from  Kentucky,  and  General  Parsons  from  New- 
England.  No  tribe  met  them,  except  the  Shawnese,  &nd 
no  beneficial  effects  resulted  from  the.  meeting  with  them. 
From  the  representation  of  a  majority  of  the  commission- 
orsy  congress  seems  to  have  entertained  an  impression  that 


m 


m 


OF  THE  WEST. 


109 


at  least  a  part  of  the  cause  of  the^e  continued  hoetilities 
lay  at  the  door  of  the  Kentuckians,  and  tiiat  in  many  in- 
stances, they  had  been  the  Aggressors. 

In  the  chronicle  of  Indian  assaults,  we  ought  to  record 
the  death  of  Colonel  Christian,  who  was  killed  by  the  Indi- 
ans on  Beargrass,  in  April,  1785.  He  was  a  ndtive  of 
Virginia,  and  married  a  sister  of  Patrick  Henry.  He  had 
served  honorably  in  Braddock's  war,  under  Lord  Dunmore, 
and  during  the  war  of  the  revolution.  He  had  led  an  ar- 
my of  one  thousand  two  hundred  men  from  Virginia,  with 
success,  against-the  Cherokees.  In  1785,  ho  removed  with 
his  family  to  Kentucky.  Colonel  Floyd  had  also  recently 
deceased  in  this  settlement,  from  the  effect  of  a  wound  in- 
flicted by  the  Indians.  The  fall  of  Colonel  Christian,  of 
distinguished  name  and  influence  among  the  people,  increa- 
sed the  dismay  occasioned  by  that  event. 

The  fiVst  newspaper  printed  in  Kentucky,  was  issued 
August  28th,  1787.  It  was  published  on  a  deml  sheet  in 
Lexington,  by  Mr.  John  B(adford,  and  entitled  the  'Ken- 
tucky Gazette.'  No  other  paper  was  printed  nearer  than 
five  hundred  mile^  The  political  slander  and  heart-burn- 
ings that  had  been  hitherto  transmitted  by  oral  channels, 
were  now  concentrated  in  this  gazette.  The  convention 
appointed  by  'the  legislature  of  Virginia,  met  at  Danville, 
and  voted  that  the  separation  b.etween  Virginia  and  Ken- 
tucky should  take  place,  upon  the  proposed  terms  of  the 
Virginia  act.  Ah  address  to  congress  was  prepared,  re- 
questing the  admission  of  the  state  into  the  Union,  by  the 
name  of  Kentucky.  The  authority  of  Virginia  was  to  ter- 
minate the  last  day  of  December,  1788.  '  At  the  same 
time  they  provided  for  the  meeting  of  another  convention 
to  frame  a  constitution  of  government  for  the  state.  They 
also  requested  that  one  of  the  Virginia  representatives  to 
congress  might  be  chosen  from  Kentucky.  Virginia  con- 
sented, and  in  December,  Mr.  Brown  was  chosen.  This 
gentleman  had  acted  a  very  conspicuous  part  in  the  afiairs 
of  this  country  for  some  time,  past  It  was  estimated  that 
Kentucky  had  doubled  her  population  within  the  last  tbtteo 
years. 


M-!d'.- 


104 


tKDUN  WAfiS 


In  f*ebniary,  1788^  General  Wilkinson  returned  {torn 
New  Orleans.  He  encouraged  the  culture  of  tobacco^  by 
raising  and  purchasing  it,  and  this  may  be  considered  as 
the  era  of  the  origin  of  that  cultivation  in  this  country.  In 
giving  these  important  details  of  the  civil  interests  of  the 
country,  we  have  a  little  preceded  the  order  of  Indian  as- 
saults. For  some  time  past,  many  individual  massacres 
had  occurred.  April  11th,  1787,  a  party  of  foinrteen  Indi' 
ans  attacked  a  family  living  on  Coope's  run,  in  Bourbon 
county.  As  this  attack  may  serve  as  a  general  sample  of 
the  undescribed  detail  of  horrors  in  most  cases  of  similar 
assault,  and  as  the  circumstances  possess  a  peculiar  and  in- 
trinsic interest,  we  will  give  them  in  detail.  The  family 
consisted  tf)f  the  mother,  two  sons  of  mature  age,  a  widow- 
ed daughter  with  an  infant  in  her  arms,  two  grown  daugh- 
ters, and  a  daughter  of  ten  years.  They  occupied  a  dou- 
ble cabin.  In  one  division  were  the  two  grown  daughters 
and  the' smaller  girl.  In  the  other  the  remainder  of  the 
family.  At  evening  twilight,  a  knocking  was  heard  at  the 
door  of  the  latter,  asking  in  good  English,  and  the  custom- 
ary phrase  of  the  country,  'who  keqflj^  house?'  As  the 
sons  were  opening  the  door,  the  motheriorbade,  affirming, 
Uiat  there  were  Indians  there.  The  young  men  sprang  to 
their  guns.  The  Indians  being  refused  admittance,  made 
an  eflbrt  at  the  opposite  door.  They  beat  open  the  door  of 
that  room  with  a  rail.  They  endeavored  to  take  the  three 
girls  prisoners.  The  little  girl  escaped,  and  might  have 
evaded  danger  in  the  darkness  and  the  woods.  But  the 
forlorn  child  ran  towards  the  other  door  and  cried  for  help. 
The  brothers  wished  to  fly  to  her  relief,'but  the  mother  for^ 
bade  her  door  to  be  opened.  The  merciless  tomahawk 
soon  hushed  the  cries  of  the  distracted  girl  by  murdering 
her.  While  a  part  of  the  Indians  were  murdering  this 
child,  and  confining  the  other  girl  that  was  ma^  prisoner, 
the  third  defended  herself  with  a  knife,  which  she  was 
using  at  her  loom,  at  the  moment  of  attack.  The  heroism 
of  this  giii  was  unavailing.  She  killed  <»ie  Indian,  and 
was  herself  killed  by  another.  The  Indians  in  possession 
of  one  half  of  the  house,  fired  it.    The  persons  confined  in 


OF  THE  WEST. 


105 


the  other  part  of  the  cabin,  had  how  to  choose  between  ex- 
posure to  the  flames,  spreading  towards  them,  or  the  tomar 
hawks  of  the  savages.  The  latter  stationed  themselves  91 
the  dark  angles  .of  the  fence,  while  the  bright  glare  of  ths 
flames  would  expose,  as  a  clear  mark,  every  person  who 
should  escape.  One  son  took  charge  of  his  aged  and  in- 
firm mother;  and  the  other  of  liis  widowed  sister  and  her 
infant.  ^  The  brothers  separated  with  their  charge,  endear 
voring  to  spring  over  the  fence  at  different  points.  The 
mother  was  shot  dead  in  attempting  to  cross.'  The  other 
brother  was  killed,  gallantly  defending  his  sister.  The 
widowed  sister,  her  infant  and  one  of  the  brothers  escaped 
the  massacre.  These  persons  alarmed  the  settlement. 
Thirty  men  commanded  by  Colonel  John  Edwards,  arrived 
next  day  to  witness  the  horrid  spectacle  presented  by  this 
scene  of  murder  and  ruin.  Considerable  snow  had  fallen, 
and  it  was  easy  to  pursue  the  Indians  by  their  trail.  In 
the  evening  of  that  day,  they  came  upon  the  expiring  body 
of  the  young  woman,  apparently  murdered  but  a  few  mo- 
ments before  their  arrival.  The  Indians  had  been  pre- 
monished  of  their  Jiursuit  by  the  barking  of  a  dog  that  fol- 
lowed them.  ThiPovertook  and  killed  two  of  the  Indians 
who  had  apparently  staid  behind  as  victims  to  secure  the 
escape  of  the  rest. 


''<!.* 


1l>" 


.*» 


CHAPTER  VII. 


SETTLEMENT  OF  TENNESSEE. 


In  1730,  this  fine  country  was  all  a  vast  forest.  From 
various  causes  it  had  been  long  deserted  by  the  Indians; 
and  in  the  fertile  bottcans  anrl  grassy  barrens,  game  lefl  to 
increase  unmolested,  had  b'^come  abundant.  To  hunt  in 
this  unoccupied  and  beautiful  country  had  become  a  lucra- 
tive business.  Many  of  the  first  settlers  were  drawn  here 
to  puraue  this  object.    The  ancient  mapd  of  the  western 


-\v. 


106 


INDIAN  WARS 


country  enable  us  to  judge  of  the  situation  of  places  at  the 
time  tbat  France  claimed  the  whole  country  south  of  Can. 
ada,  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Alleghany  moun* 
tains.  French  forts  are  represented  09  these  maps,  as 
standing,  one  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river;  one  oq 
the  south  bank  of  the  Ohio;  another  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash;  one  near  the  junc* 
tion  of  the  Ohio  with  the  Mississippi;  one  at  (he  Chicka- 
saw bluffs;  one  on  the  east  bank  of  Red  river;  and  one  at 
the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  the  Tallapoosa,  called  Ala- 
bama, after  the  name  of  the  river.  On  the  head  waters  of 
the  Tombeckbee  they  hadjilso  a  fort,  called  Thotdome. 
Five  leagues  up  the  Tennessee  they  had  another.  One, 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kenhawa  was  called  Shawnee. 
One,  not  a  great  way  above  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  was 
called  Creve  Ccmr;  one,  half  way  up  the  Illinois  is  mart 
ed  by  the  name  French  fort,  and  one  on  the  north-west- 
ern extremity  of  lake  Michigan.  This  was  part  of  that 
famous  plan  of  posts,  and  connected  lines  of  defences  by 
which  it  was  the  French  policy  to  hold  this  vast  and  fertile 
country  in  subjection.  In  1755,  the  Cherokees,  at  that 
time  a  powerfnl  tribe,  were  in  alliancfflwith  the  French,  and 
of  course  hostile  to  the  English.  In  1756,  a  treaty  was 
made,  both  with  them  and  the  Catabas,  on  the  condition 
that  the  English  should  build 'a  fort  in  the  country  of  each 
tribe;  and  the  motive  alleged  was,  that  they  would  be  for 
the  defence  of  the  women  and  children,  when  they  were 
absent  on  their  expeditions.  With  this  view,  fort  Loudon 
was  built  for  them  in  1757.  A  garrison  was  placed  in  this 
fort;  and  the  Indians  offered  bounties  of  land  to  induce  ar- 
tizans  to  come  and  settle  in  the  vicinity.  The  remem- 
brance of  a  three  year's  war  was  not  immediately  erased; 
and  the  Cherokees  still  manifested  such  symptoms  of  hos- 
tility, that  Colontl  Byrd  was  sent  among  them.  He  built 
and  garrisoned  two  forts,  one  of  them  on  the  river  Holston, 
opposite  the  upper  end  of  Long  island,  in  which  forts  his 
army  wintered  in  1758.  The  fort  on  the  Holston  was 
beautifully  situated.  At  this  time  there  was  not  another 
white  settlement  on  that  river.  But  afler  the  building  of 
the  fort,  the  reports  which  were  circ alated  of  the  fertility 


OP  THE  WEST. 


lOT 


of  the  soil)  and  the  abundance  of  game,  led  some  penaoa 
to  settle  between  them,  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Cher- 
okee war,  which  commenced  in  1759.  The  circumstance 
'^hich  gave  rise  to  this  war,  was  the  taking  some  horses 
by  the  Indians^  ^ich  belonged  to  the  new  white  settlers, 
to  replace  those  which  the  savages  had  lost  during  the  pre- 
ceding war  with  France,  in  which  they  had  joined  us.  The 
white  settlers  seized  their  horses  again;  and  either  killed, 
or  made  prisoners  of  the  warriors  that  had  taken  the  horses. 
Thus  was  opened  a  vast  field  for  the  exercise  of  those  ter- 
rible acts  of  ferocity,  for  which  savages  are  so  famous. 
The  frMitiers  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  were  terribly 
I  ravaged  with  th<»  flames  and  the  tomahawk,  as  is  customs^ 
ly  in  such  cases. 

Fort  Loudon  was  situated  on  the  north  side  of  Little  Ten- 
{ itessee,  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Tellico,  in  the  centre  of 
the  Ghe|*okee  country.    It  had  a  small  garriscm.    The  In- 
dians besieged  it;  and  the  garrison  was  compelled  to  sup- 
reoder  for  want  of  provisions.    They  were  to  be  allowed 
to  retreat  to  the  white  settlements  beyond  fhe  Blue  ridge. 
I  All  of  them  but  nine,  fell  by  indiscriminate  massacre.    B»> 
|<ween  two  and  thre^undred  men,  women,  and  children 
Iwere  slain.     This  event,  so'  memorable  in  the  first  settle* 
Iment  of  Tennessee,  took  place  in  1760.    In  1761,  Cobnel 
JGrant  led  a  strong  force  into  their  country,  and  compelled 
jthem  to  sue  for  peace.    A  treaty  was  the  result.    In  con» 
sequence  of  this  war,  the  onty  settlement  which  had  been 
[made  in  the  vicinity  of  fort  Loudon,  was  deserted.    Hxe 
eaty  renewed' the  confidence  of  tihe  immigrants  fmn 
[Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  who  had  deserted  the  country. 
They,  and  others  associating  with  them,  returned  to  the 
itry  with  the  purpose  of  renewing  their  projects  of  hunV 
and  settlement.     They  settled  in  East  Tennessee. 
These  men  ga^  those  names  to  the  chief  mountains  and 
ivers  which  have  been  retained  since  that  time.    The 
es  *  Cumberland  and  Laurel'  were  given  by  them  in 
tionate  remembrance  of  then*  native  mountains.    The 
I  of  hnnters  and  adventurers  continued  to  advance  step 
by  step,  and  broaden  their  circle,  settins  the  example  of 
m  settten  in  the  wiMemess,  in  all  subsequent  pe* 


T- 


108 


~4     •, 
INDIAN  WARS 


I 


riods.    They  soon  penetrated  the  interior  of  what  is  now 
called  East  Tennessee. 

In  1704}  Daniel  Boone,  the  patriarch  of  settlements  in 
the  western  forests,  made  an  excursion  frpm  North  Caroli- 
na  into  the  woods  of  Tennessee.  In  1701^  Colonel  Smith, 
with  some  friends,  traversed  a  great  portion  of  West  Ten- 
nessee. They  descended  to  the  mouth  of  Tennessee  and 
Cumberland  rivers,  on  a  trip  of  discovery.  They  saw  no 
white  people  in  these  regions.  In  17G8,  an  exploring  par- 
ty came  into  this  country  frwn  Virginia.  They  spent 
some  months  traversing  it  in  al  1  directions.  But  they  found 
on  their  return  that  the  country  which  had  so  recently  been 
a  wide  wilderness,  was  no  longer  so.  Most  of  the  fertile 
spots,  in  eligible  situations,  had  been  occupied.  The  first 
permanent  settlements  were  made  in  East  Tennessee,  in 
the  wmters  of  1768,  and  1769.  The  settlers  came  from 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  At  tliis  time  Daniel  Boone 
joined  them.  The  settlements  continued  to  increase  until 
1774,  and  1775,  when  an  ex^^nsive  purchase  of  land  from 
the  Indians  was  made  by  a  company.  There  was  among 
these  settlers  the  usual  mixture  of  respectable  and  worth- 
less people ;  and  they  were  impelled  to  form  these  new  es- 
tablishments by  the  usual  mixture  ot  motives.  But  even 
those  desperate  characters  that  had  fled  fiom  debt  and  the 
laws,  were  of  use  here;  for  they  stationed  themselves  on 
the  frontier  of  this  remote  and  unprotected  settlement,  and 
became  a  barrier  between  it  and  the  savages.  The  inhabi- 
tants who  had  fixed  themselves  nearest  the  limits  of  Vir- 
giuia,  placed  themselves  under  the  government  of  that 
state ;  and  those  that  were  the  nearest  to  Carolina,  threw 
themselves  under  the  protection  of  its  laws.  But  the  trou- : 
bles  which  were  just  commencing  in  the  Atlantic  countr}', 
prevented  the  parent  region  from  being  able  to  extend  effi- 
cient protection  to  these  remote  and  feeble  establishments  I 
in.tlie  wilderness.  In  1774,  the  Shawnese  and  other  con- 
federated Indians  from  the  north  of  the  Ohio,  made  an  ex- 1 
cursion  into  that  part  of  this  country,  which  is  now  called 
Sullivan  county.  They  were  u^et  by  the  people  of  the 
coiintry,  aided  by  a  lew  regular  troops,  anc^were  attacked 
mUbi,  a  spirit  which  had  the  effect  to  put  a  stop  to  their  io- 


^ 


OF  THE  WEST. 


109 


cursions,  until  1776.  The  purchase,  which  has  been  men- 
tioned above,  was  not  agreeable  to  all  the  Indians.  It  was 
particularly  disagreeable  to  a  chief  among  them,  called 
Occonnostata.  He  made  a  very  animated  speech  against 
it.    It  was  not,'nowever,  heeded  by  the  Indians. 

In  1776,  the  Indians  of  these  remote  regions  began  to 
feel  the  effects  of  the  revolutionary  troubles  in  the  Atlantic 
country,*  and  commenced  their  customary  depredations. 
The  people  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  sent  such  troops 
as  they  could  spare,  who  were  aided  by  the  people.     This 
force  exercised  vigilance  and  unanimity ;  and  in  some  ca- 
ses anticipated  the  attacks  of  the  Indians.     At  this  time  it 
was,  that  the  united  settlements  sent  delegates  to  the  con- 
vention that  established  the  district  of  Washington.     The 
name  of  Captain  John  Sevier  is  one  that  occurs  often  in 
the  early  history  of  this  state.     In  1774,  he  had  held  the 
commission  of  Captain  under  Earl  Dunmore,  governor  of 
Virginia ;  and  in  1777,  Governor  Caswell,  of  North  Caro- 
lina, gave  him  the  commission  of  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Washington  regiment  of  militia  under  Colonel  Carter.     A 
battle  was  fought  in  June,  1776,  between  the  force  of  the 
inhabitants  united  with  the  soldiers  from  Virginia,  and  the 
savages,  at  a  place  called  Long-island  flats,  which  was  a 
great  advantage  to  the  settlers;  not  only  because  victory 
declared  in  their  favor  without  the  loss  of  one  man,  but  as 
it  gave  them  confidence  in  themselves,  in  demonstrating, 
that  they  were  able  to  compete  with  the  savages  ,•  and  by 
showing  to  the  hostile  Cherokees  what  they  might  expect, 
in  the  issue  of  a  battle,  if  they  continued  to  practice  their 
hostilities. 

Notwithstanding  this  lesson,  the  Cherokees  not only.con- 
tinued  to  manifest  a  hostile  spirit^  but  assaulted  the  forts; 
and  murdered  every  person  who  was  so  imprudent  or  so 
unfortunate  as  to  be  found  alone.  Aroused  by  the  story 
of  burning  and  mur  '  -  from  these  infant  settlements,  Vir- 
ginia, notwithstanding  her  pressure  at  home,  ordered  Colo- 
nel Christian,  with  a  respectable  force,  to  march  into  the 
heart  of  the  Cherokee  settlements.  His  force  amounted  to 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  men.  They  found  no  Indians 
lUitil  they  arrived  at  a  town  called  Tamotlee.    The  Indians 

10 


t'-  '^-t: 


no 


INDIAN  WARS 


did  not  dare  to  look  this  force  in  the  face;  and  sued  for 
peace.  It  was  agreed  that  the  Indians  should  enter  into  a 
treaty  on  the  May  following.  Until  that  time,  it  was  slip- 
ulated  that  hostilities  should  cease  on  botjlji  sides,  with  the 
exception  of  two  Indian  towns,  near  which  a  prisoner  had 
been  burned.  This  enormity  had  been  practised  upon  a 
young  son  of  Mr.  Moore,  who  had  been  captured  on  the 
Watauga.  The  excepted  towns  were  burned,  and  the  ar- 
my returned  to  quarters.  The  Indians  were  awed ;  but 
notwithstanding  their  fears,  and  the  promise  of  a  treaty, 
they  still  showed  manifest  intentions  to  inflict  all  the  inju- 
ry they«ould. 

In  1777,  an  arrangement  was  brought  about  between 
the  states  of  North  Carolina,  Virginia,  and  the  Indians.  A 
definitive  boundary  was  settled  for  the  country,  which  is 
now  called  Tennessee.  It  was  then  supposed  to  belong  to 
those  states.  The  Indians  at  this  time  professed  to  be  in 
treaty  with  us ;  but  they  frequently  murdered  the  settlers, 
when  they  found  them  unprotected  and  alone.  This  year, 
the  district  of  Washington  was  made  a  county.  Courts 
were  organized,  and  a  land  office  opened,  in  which  great 
quantities  of  land  were  entered.  That  tribe  of  the  Chero- 
kees  that  lived  on  the  creek  called  Chicamauga,  and  that 
were  called  by  that  name,  had  always  been  hostile  to  the 
whites,  and  had  never  entered  heartily  into  the  treaties  be- 
tween the  settlers  and  the  Indians.  By  the  addition  of  a 
number  of  hostile  tribes  on  the  Ohio,  their  numbers  were 
increased  to  a  thousand  warriors.  In  1779,  they  began 
openly  to  attack  the  frontiers  from  Georgia  to  Pennsylva- 
nia. A  force  was  sent  against  them  from  North  Carolina 
anJ  Virginia.  This  force  came  upon  the  Indians  by  sur- 
prise, who  fled  without  giving  battle.  The  soldiers  pur- 
sued them,  burned  their  villages,  and  destroyed  their  crops. 
This  event  happened  at  the  same  lime  that  the  British  gov- 
ernof ,  General  Hamilton,  was  captured  by  General  Clark 
at  Vincennes.  These  two  coincident  events  res*'>re<i  peace 
to  the  western  settlements  for  a  time.  During  this  inter- 
val of  repose  and  security,  such  numbers  of  people  settled 
in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  that  the  British  and  Indians 


OF  THE  WEST. 


Ill 


were  nevjcr  afterwards  able  to  break  up  the  settlements. 
Attother  county  was  constituted  by  the  name  of  Sullivan. 
In  1779,  the  Cherolcees  began  to  commit  outrages  again. 
The  dispute  which  was  now  fiercely  agitated  in  the  Atlan- 
tic country,  between  the  colonies  and  Great  Britain,  be- 
came, by  the  instigation  of  the  British,  the  mean  of  bring- 
ing on  a  general  Indian  war.  A  deep  feeling  that  every 
thing  was  at  stake,  caused  the  western  people  to  act  with 
great  energy;  and  they  often  inflicted  strong  and  summa- 
ry acts  of  justice.  From  the  misfortunes  of  the  American 
army  in  South  Carolina,  great  exertions  were  required  on 
the  part  of  the  frontier  people,  to  guard  against  the  Indi- 
ans, who  were  attaclcing  them  in  every  direction.  They 
had  to  exert  all  their  efforts  at  the  same  time  against  the 
British,  who  were  triumphantly  overrunning  the  southern 
states. 


SETTLEMENT   OF  WEST   TENNESSEE. 

In  1767,  West  Tennessee  began,  as  East  Tennessee  had 
been,  to  be  the  temporary  home  of  hunters.  Even  before 
this,  some  French  people  had  settled  where  Nashville  now 
stands.  They  kept  a  station  there  for  some  time.  There 
was  another  French  station  at  the  same  time  on  the  Ten- 
nessee, about  forty  miles  above  its  mouth.  There  was  one 
also  at  fort  Massac,  on  the  Ohio.  A  detachment  of  these 
hunters,  in  1769,  penetrated  as  far  as  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains on  Roaring  river.  They  there  deposited  the  pro- 
ceeds of  their  hunt.  They  found  no  signs  of  human  hab- 
itancy  or  cultivation.  Some  of  their  number  were  killed 
by  southern  Indians,  who  were  travelling  to  the  north. 
They  had  traversed  a  country  covered  with  high  grass. 
They  discovered  many  of  the  caves  that  are  so  -'ell  known 
at  the  present  day.  By  the  borders  of  creeks  they  found 
stones  set  up,  apparently  as  burial  monuments,  ovei  great 
masses  of  human  bones. 

In  the  year  1770,  some  members  of  this  party  set  out 
with  the  proceeds  of  their  hunt  on  a  trading  expedition,  in- 
tending to  advance  as  far  as  fort  Natchez.  As  they  de- 
scend^ the  Cumberland)  near  the  place  where  Nashville 


112 


INDIAN  WARS 


now  is,  they  discovered  the  French  lick,  where  they  saw 
great  herds  of  buiTaloes,  and  other  kinds  of  game.  They 
attained  the  objects  of  their  journey,  made  a  profitable  trip, 
and  returned  home  in  safety.  In  1776,  with  a  number  oi' 
others  associated  with  them,  they  came  again  to  West  Ten- 
nessee to  hunt.  Among  them  was  an  old  man  like  Boone, 
passionately  fond  of  hunting,  and  roving  in  the  woods. 
He  had  so  far  lost  the  sight  of  his  eyes  with  age,  that  the 
only  way  in  which  he  could  take  sight  at  the  buffaloes  and 
deer,  was  to  tie  a  piece  of  white  paper  to  the  muzzle  of  his 
gun.  In  this  way  he  killed  a  number  of  deer.  This  old 
man  strayed  from  the  encampment,  lost  himself  in  the 
woods,  and  was  absent  nineteen  days.  He  survived  the 
extreme  cold,  hunger,  and  exhaustion,  and  perfect  help' 
lessness  in  which  he  was  found.  He  recovered  and  kill- 
ed a  number  of  deer  afterwards.  Such  men  of  iron,  were 
the  pioneers  of  civilization  in  the  west. 

The  country  was  often  scoured  by  hunting  parties;  but 
no  permanent  settlements  were  yet  niade.  One  of  a  hunt- 
ing party  was  killed  in  1777,  by  a  wounded  buffaloe  from  a 
herd,  of  which  he  had  killed  and  wounded  a  great  many. 
A  small  field  of  corn  was  planted  in  1778,  near  Bledsoe's 
lick;  and  in  1779,  there  were  a  number  of  families  settled 
permanently  there.  They  built  and  inhabited  stockaded 
forts.  These  were  formed  by  arranging  connected  lines  of 
log  cabins  into  a  hollow  square.  Nashville  had  its  share 
of  these  settlers.  A  number  of  immigrants  embarked  in 
a  boat,  which  they  called  ^The  Adventure^ on  the  Holslon, 
intending  to  descend  that  river  and  the  Tennessee;  and 
then  to  ascend  the  Ohio  and  the  Cumberland,  to  where 
Nashville  now  is.  They  reached  this  place;  but  suffered 
severely  on  the  way.  They  were  frequently  fired  upon 
by  the  Indians,  and  they  endured  much  from  hunger. 
When  they  first  visited  that  portion  of  the  country  that  sur- 
rounds Nashville,  there  were  no  marks  of  former  habitan- 
cy.  The  country  round  French  lick,  which  had  formerly 
been  called  Hhe  oldjield,^  M'as  a  large  tract  of  ground  that 
had  been  thoroughly  trampled  by  bufikloes,  and  beaten 
with  numberless  paths;  as  if  situated  near  the  resorts  of 
numerous  herds  of  domestic  cattle.    Though  there  wero 


OP  THE  WEST. 


113 


no  traces  of  former  habitancy  on  the  surface,  they  found 
in  <}igging  round  the  springs,  great  numbers  of  graves,  and 
the  appearance  of  walls  enclosing  ancient  habitations. 
Sometimes  these  walls  had  entrenchments  added  to  them; 
and  were  so  capacious  as  to  include  ten  acres. 

In  1780f  the  settlers  were  first  attacked  by  the  Indians. 
The  attacking  party  were  Delawareli.  Between  1780 
and  1781,  was  fought  the  famous  action  of  King^s  moun- 
tain, in  which  the  first  settlers  of  Tennessee  and  Kentucky 
had  so  glorious  a  share.  Lord  Cornwallis  had  overrun 
the  southern  states,  and  ail  was  confusion  and  dismay  in 
those  regions,  among  the  friends  of  the  United  States. 
Major  Ferguson,  a  famou£(  British^artisan,  marched  with 
a  force  nearly  two  thousand  strong,  upon  the  mountains, 
that  separate  North  Carolina  from  Tennessee.  His  ob- 
ject was  at  once  to  punish  the  whigs,  who  had  either  kill- 
ed or  imprisoned  a  number  of  peculiarly  obnoxious  torie?, 
and  to  encourage  the  tories  or  loyalists,  as  they  were  call- 
ed, by  way  of  courtesy,  to  come  forward  and  join  the  king's 
standard.  Colonel  Arthur  Campbell,  Colonel  Isaac  Shel- 
by, and  Colonel  Sevier  commanded  the  forces  of  the  moun- 
taineers and  backwoodsmen.  There  had  been  a  number 
of  severe  skirmishes  between  these  partisan  corps,  in 
which  the  Americans  generally  had  the  advantage. 

The  American  forces  commanded  by  Colonel  M'Dowell, 
were  attacked  by  Major  Ferguson  who  had  been  strength- 
ened by  the  addition  of  a  lai^  U^y  of  loyalists,  and  a 
strtmg  reinforcement  of  British  regulars.  The  engage- 
ment took  place  near  Enoree  river.  It  was  severely 
fought,  but  in  the  end  the  British  retreated,  leaving  a  con-^ 
siderable  number  of  dead,  and  more  than  two  hundred 
prisoners.  The  prisoners  alone  eq[uaHed  one  third  of  the 
number  of  the  American  forces.  This  advantage  was 
more  than  balanced  by  the  general  panic  and  discourage- 
ment that  ensued  up<Mi  the  defeat  of  Creneral  Gates  and 
Colonel  Sumpter,  by  the  British.  Major  Ferguson  wa» 
at  Gilbertstown,in  NorthX^arolina,  with  two  thousand  men. 
In  the  vicinity  were  more  than  five  hundred  tories  ready 
to  j(»a  him.  In  this  emergency  the  mountaineers,  aninm- 
ted  by  the  eanieflt  persuask)n  of  Colonel  Shelby,  tostri>;e 

10* 


114 


INDIAN  WARS 


on  the  enemy,  while  they  were  within  striking  distance, 
determined  to  attack  them,  athough  they  were  scarcely 
half  their  numbers.    The  mountaineers  pursued  Fergu- 
son  with  nine  hundred  and  ten  mounted  riflemen.     After 
pursuing  Him  in  a  drizzling  rain  for  thirty-six  hours,  with- 
out alighting  from  their  hcurses  but  once  for  refreshment  in 
the  wlwle  distance,^e  pursuers  came  upon  him  encamped 
on  King's  mountain,  a  table  eminence,  five  or  six  hundred 
yards  in  length,  and  seventy  yards  wide.    Colonel  Sevier 
commanded  the  right  wing;  Colonel  Campbell's  and  Colo- 
nel Shelby's  regiments  composed  the  centre.    The  right 
wing  was  led  to  battle  by  Colonel  Sevier  and  Major  Wins- 
ton;  the  lefl,  by  Colonels  Cleveland  and  Williams.    The 
attack  was  commenced  by  the  fwo  centre  columns,  as  they 
were  attempting  to  gain  the  eastern  acclivity  of  the  moun- 
tain.   The  .battle  at  this  point  was  furious  and  bloody. 
Columns  on  each  side  repeatedly  gave  way,  and  were  as 
often  cheered  again  to'  the  contest.    Towards  the  latter 
part  of  the  action,  the  enemy  made  a  fierce  and  gallant 
chargb  upon  the  American  troops  on  the  eastern  summit  of 
the  mountain,  and  drove  them  almost  to  the  foot  of  it.  The 
Americans  were  again  rallied, and  returned  to  the  charge; 
and  the  enemy  in  their  turn  gave  way.    The  euemy  was 
driven  down  the  western  declivity  of  the  mountain,  and 
forced  into  a  disorderly  mass.     Colonel  Campbell  press- 
ed upon  them  with  hi«  regiment,  killing  all  that  came  in 
his  way;  and  pouring  in  tus  deadly  fire  upon  the  crowded 
mass.  The  British  rallied  again,  and  came  upon  the  Ameri- 
cans with  fixed  bayonets.     Few  actions  on  record  have 
been  more  hotly  contested.    Ferguson  formed  his  troops 
into  columns  as  a  last  effort,  and  attempted  to  cut  his  way 
through  the  assailants.    In  the  attempt  he  was  shot  dead. 
The  m:e  from  the  Americans  had  become  so  hot  and  fatal, 
that  the  British  were  no  longer  able  to  sustain  it.    They 
laid  down  their  arms,  and  were  made  prisoners.     Colond 
Campbell  received  the  highest,  and  most  honorable  testi- 
monials of  gratitude  from  the  legislature  of  Virginia.  The 
general  assembly  of  North  Cardina  voted  similar  testimo- 
nials to  Colonel  Shelby,  and  Colonel  Sevier;  the  one  a  pa- 
triarchal soldier  and  settler  of  Kentucky,  and  the  odier  of 


•f 


OF  THE  WEST. 


115 


Tennessee.  In  this  action  tbe'lnountaineers  and  their  gal- 
lant leaders  gained  imperishable  honors,  which  their  coun- 
trymen to  the  third  and  fourth  generation  will  not  forget. 
Ck)lonol  Williams,  fram  Ninety-six,  was  the  only  distin- 
guished officer  that  was  mortally  wounded.  Fifleen  hund- 
red stands  of  arms  were  taken.  The  commander  and  one 
hundred  and  fitly  of  the  enemy  fell  oft  the  field ,  and  six 
hundred  and  ten  were  made  prisoners.  Only  four  hun- 
dred and  forty  escaped.  The  issue  of  this  most  gallant 
action  had  an  effect  far  beyond  its  influence  upon  the  peo- 
ple in  the  immediate  vicinity.  The  drooping  spirits  of  the 
people  east  of  the  mountains  were  again  animated  with  the 
flush  of  hope.  Lord  Cornyrallis  hearing  of  Ferguson's  to- 
tal defeat  by  the  mountain  riflemen,  immediately  paused 
in  his  victorious  career,  and  retreated  to  Winnsborough,  a 
distance  of  between  seventy  and  eighty  miles. 

The  effects  of  this  battle  upon  the  whole  south-west  of 
the  Mississippi  valley  was  highly  auspicious  to  the  new 
settlers.  The  rumor  soon  reached  the  Indians,  and  effec- 
tually dwed  and  repressed  them  from  every  incipient  effort 
to  favor  the  tories.  The  Cherokees  and  Chickasaws  sued 
for  peace.  A  land  office  was  opened  in  1783.  But  these 
cheering  prospects  for  settlers  were  soon  overclouded  by 
the  renewal  of  Indian  hostilities  against  the  settlers  of 
West  Tennessee,  which  amounted  to  a  war  of  extermina- 
tion. The  settlers  were  disheartened,  and  many  of  them 
abandoned  their  forts,  and  returned  to  Kentucky  and  Illi- 
nois. Those  who  remained  were  chiefly  confined  to  two 
forts,  suffering  much  from  various  causes ;  but  chiefly  from 
want  of  provisions.  These  were  priQcipally  obtained  from 
hunting,  to  pursue  which,  parties  banded  together  in  the 
strength  and  order  of  battle.  The  crop  had  failed  from  a 
general  inundation  of  the  rivers.  Those  who  survived  all 
these  difficulties  until  1782,  were  enabled  by  a  law  of  that 
year  to  claim  pre-emption  rights.  The  terminaticm  of  the 
war  of  the  revdution  soon  rendered  the  Indians  less  hos- 
tile, and  immigrants  from  North  Carolina  began  to  fill  the 
forests  of  West  Tennessee. 

Ve  should  be  glad  to  give  a  history  of  the  origin  and 
downfall  of  the  republic  of  Frankland,  in  Tennessee,  but 


»• 


116 


INDIAN  WARS 


v# 


it  would  be  foreign  to  our  purpose.  It  is  sufficient  to  re< 
mark  that  the  inhabitants  of  Tennessee  proposed  to  erect 
themselves  into  an  independent  state  with  this  name.  North 
Carolina,  the  parent  state,  objected;  and  there  were  two 
courts  in  Frankland,  the  one  acting  under  the  authority  of 
the  new  state,  and  the  other  of  North  Carolina.  Sheriff 
was  at  war  with  sherifT,  and  court  with  court.  'It  was  the 
first  war,  perhaps,  in  history,  in  which  the  chief  battles 
were  the  wind  of  words,  with  a  number  of  fist  fights,  acd 
but  one  death,  together  with  a  few  persons  wounded.  In 
1788,  the  republic  of  Frankland  ceased  to  exist.  From 
this  time  to  the  period  when  Tennessee  was  admitted  into 
the  Union  in  1796,  the  prepress  of  population  and  improve- 
ment was  rapid.  1791,  the  firat  newspaper  was  published 
at  Rogersville,  and  was  called  'the  Knoxville  Gazette.' 
The  disastrous  defeat  of  General  St.  Clair,  brought  on  a 
renewal  of  Indian  hostilities  over  all  the  west.  Afler  suf- 
fering the  usual  results  of  Indian  murders  and  frontier  as- 
saults, an  assault  of  the  Cherokees  with  one  thousand  war- 
riors and  one  hundred  mounted  Indians  was  made  upon 
Tennessee,  in  1793.  General  Sevier  was  sent  against 
them  with  a  force  amounting  to  nearly  one  thousand  two 
hundred  men.  An  engagement  took  place,  which  has  ab- 
surdly been  called  the  battle  of  High  tower.  The  Ameri- 
cans in  this  skirmish  lost  but  three  men.  A  few  Indians 
were  killed,  and  many  wounded.  Spanish  guns  were 
found  in  the  Indian  cany,  and  clear  evidences  that  the  In- 
dians received  aid  and  countenance  from  that  quarter. 
Our  troops  marched  through  the  Cherokee  country,  de- 
stroying their  townS|(  and  laying  waste  their  resources.  A 
portion  of  that  people  were  disposed  to  peace.  Incalatan- 
ga,  OF  Double  Head,  one  of  their  mqst  blood-thirsty  spirits, 
wh&  litis  Supposed  personally  to  have  shed  more  blood  of 
tbe  whites,  than  any  other  savage  in  the  w€st>k|pited  them 
to  persevere  in  hostilities.  vUlfi  HiwgiDgf||fw»  on  the 
oontriry,  Was  for  peace,  and  iiJDfAiMthe  mrmiirdera  tD 
the  instigation  of  the  3p9iiUMi^  51m»  main  body  of  the 
tribes  professed  pctac^ul  intititiiM^  Iwt  .notwithstanding 

this,ai»at|)«t9Mli4Q^  ^^  fired  upon. 

The  cniw  fviniBii^^  The 


** 


mmi 


OF  THE  WEST. 


117 


boat  was  pursued  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  savages  to  the 
Muscle  Shoals,  where  it  was  overtaken,  and  every  person 
on  board  killed.  The  history  of  Tennessee  at  this  time  is 
little  more  than  a  dreary  chronicle  of  Indian  massacres. 
Many  of  these  narratives,  related  apart,  would  possess  a 
harrowing  interest.  Grouped  together,  they  occur  in  such 
numbers,  and  with  such  uniform  circumstances  of  atrocity 
and  barbarity,  that  they  lose  their  interest  in  the  confusion 
of  the  mass.  No  less  than  thirty  murders  of  individuals, 
or  of  whole  families,  occurred  within  three  years  after  tht 
setting  up  the  federal  government.  To  a  person  travel- 
ling through  this  tine  and  populous  country,  where  there 
is  now  no  more  apprehension  from  Indians,  than  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Philadelphia,  it  s^ems  almost  incredible  that  such 
scenes  should  have  occurred  in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville, 
so  late  as  1796. 

The  most  conspicuous  characters  among  the  Indian  chiefs 
were  Double  Head,  Hanging-maw,  Bloody-fellow,  Mad- 
dog,  and  other  chiefs  with  equally  terrible  names;  and 
Bowles,  Watts,  and  M'Gillivray,  whites,  who  had  become 
chiefs  among  them.  Piomingo,  a  Chickasaw  chief,  is  of- 
ten mentioned  in  the  annals  of  these  times,  as  having  been 
uniformly  friendly  to  the  Americans. 

The  last  severe  lesson  taught  these  people  by  the  Amer- 
icans, previous  to  the  inflictions  of  General  Jackson,  by 
which  they  were  completely  and  finally  subdued,  was  at 
Nickajack,  in  1704.  An  expedition  was  fitted  out  against 
this  town  from  Tennessee.  It  had  been  a  central  point, 
whence  the  war  parties  had  proceeded.  The  American 
force  was  sufficient  to  look  down '  opposition.  The  town 
was  large  and  populous.  The  inhabitants  attempted  to 
escape  in  their  caaoes  across  the  river,  on  which  their 
town  is  built.  The  troops  opened  a  deadly  fire  upon  the 
canoes.  Some  were  killed,  and  some  leapt  into  the  water 
and  attemptUig  to  escape  by  swimming,  were  killed  before 
they  were  out  of  the  reach  of  the  guns.  Some  women 
and  children  were  taken  prisoners,  fifty-five  warriors 
were  slain,  and  that  town  and  another  reduced  to  ashes. 
In  Nickajack  were  found  fresh  sca.lps  taken  at  Cumber- 
land, and  a  quantity  of  powder  and  lead  just  received  from 


&^. 


118 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  Spanish  goverament,  and  a  commission  to  the  Breath, 
a  chief  of  that  town,  who  was  killed  in  the  action.  This 
severe  chastisement  with  other  events  that  soon  occurred, 
broke  the  spirits  of  the  Cherokees. 

Among  the  murders  that  still  continued  to  occur,  we  se- 
lect the  following  as  a  fair  sample  of  the  desperate  char- 
acter of  the  conflicts  between  the  Indians  and  Americans. 
We  may  infer  that  similar  resistance  took  place  in  almost 
every  case  of  the  almost  numberless  assaults  and  murders 
in  these  border  wars.  On  the  27th  of  January,  a  party  of 
Indians  killed  George  Mason,  on  Flat  creek,  about  twelve 
miles  from  Knoxville.  During  the  night  he  heard  a  noise 
at  his  stable,  and  stepped  out  to  ascertain  the  cause;  and 
the  Indians  coming  in  between  him  and  the  door,  intercep- 
ted his  return.  He  fled,  but  was  fired  upon  and  wounded. 
He  reached  a  cave  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  his  house,  out 
of  which,  already  weltering  in  his  blood,  he  was  dragged 
and  murdered.  Having  finished  this  business,  they  re- 
turned to  the  house  to  dispatch  his  wife  and  children.  Mrs. 
Mason,  unconscious  of  the  fate  of  her  husband,  heard  them 
talking  to  each  other  as  they  approached  the  house.  At 
first  she  was  delighted  with  the^  hope  that  her  neighbors, 
aroused  by  the  firing,  had  come  to  Iier  assistance.  But 
understanding  English  and  German,  the  language  of  her 
neighbors,  and  perceiving  that  the  conversation  was  in 
neither  of  these  tongues,  she  instantly  inferred  that  they 
were  savages  coming  to  attack  the  house.  This  heroine 
had  that  very  morning  learned  how  the  double  trigger  of 
a  rifle  was  set.  Fortunately  the  children  were  not  awa- 
kened by  the  firing;  and  she  took  care  not  to  disturb  them. 
She  shut  the  door,  and  barred  it  with  benches  and  tables; 
and  took  down  the  well  charged  rifle  of  her  husband. 
She  placed  herself  directly  opposite  the  opening  which 
would  be  made  by  forcing  the  door.  Her  husband  came 
not,  and  she  was  but  too  well  aware  that  he  was  slain. 
She  was  alone  in  the  darkness.  The  yelling  savages 
were  without,  pressing  upon  the  house.  She  took  counsel 
from  her  o^n  magnanimity,  heightened  by  afiection  for 
her  children,  sleeping  unconsciously  around  her.  The 
Indians  pushing  with  great  vioteice,  gradually  opened  th^ 


INCIDENTS 


OF  THE  WEST. 


119 


door  sufficiently  wide  to  attempt  an  entrance.  The  body 
of  one  was  thrust  into  the  opening,  and  just  filled  it.  He 
was  struggling  for  admittance.  Two  or  three  more,  di- 
rectly behind  him,  were  propelling  him  forward.  She  set 
the  trigger  of  the  rifle,  put  the  muzzle  near  the  body  of 
the  foremost,  and  in  a  direction  that  the  ball,  after  passing 
through  his  body,  would  penetrate  those  behind.  She  fired. 
The  first  Indian  fell.  The  next  one  uttered  the  scream 
of  mortal  agony.  This  intrepid  woman  saw  the  necessity 
of  profound  silence.  She  observed  it.  The  Indians  in 
consequence  were  led  to  believe  that  armed  men  were  in 
the  house.  They  withdrew  from  the  house,  took  three 
horses  from  the  stable,  and  set  it  on  fire.  It  was  afler 
wards  ascertained  that  this  highminded  woman  had  saved 
herself  and  children  from  the  attack  of  twenty -five  assail- 
ants. 


^!^ 


i 


'■m^ 


1^ 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


i:«CIDENTS   OF   THE   BORDER  AVARFARE  OF  WEST  PENN* 
SYLVAJflA  AND  VIRGINIA   RESUMED. 

In  order  to  give  something  like  a  connected  view  of  the 
incidents  attending  the  first  settlement  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  we  have  preceded  the  order  of  time,  and  re- 
turn to  narrate  some  of  the  more  prominent  events  of  In- 
dian hostility  in  the  older  settlements  of  the  north-eastern 
extremity  of  the  valley.  A  hasty  j^larice  at  thesM  events 
is  all  our  limits  will  enable  us  to  bestow. 

After  the  many  bloody  assaults  of  families  in  West  Vir- 
ginia in  1778,  the  Indians  appeared  on  Dunkard  creek, 
ambushing  the  men  of  the  settlement  as  they  were  return- 
ing fiwn  their  work  in  the  neighboring  fields.  Many  fell 
by  the  first  shot;  but  those  who  survived  it  returned  theii 


m 


120 


INDIAN  WARS 


fire,  and  a  severe  contest  ensued.  But  borne  down  by 
numbers,  the  few  that  escaped  fled  to  Straddler's  fort,  near 
at  hand,  leaving  eighteen  of  their  companions  dead  in  the 
'•'^ad,  exposed  to  the  usual  process  of  scalping  and  mang- 
ling. To  repel  these  repeated  invasions,  and  chastise  the 
perpetrators,  the  veteran  and  popular  commander,  General 
Clark  was  appointed  by  Virginia  to  lead  an  expedition 
into  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country.  A  regiment  of  in- 
fantry and  a  troop  of  caValry  were  placed  under  his  com- 
mand, and  he  descended  the  Ghio,  and  marched  through 
the  vast  wilderness  to  Kaskaskia,  near  the  Mississippi,  in 
what  is  now  the  state  of  Illinois.  He  surprised  and  took 
the  town.  The  French  settlements  in  what  was  then  cal- 
led the  Illinois,  had  hitherto  preserved  a  sort  of  doubtful 
neutrality  between  the  English  and  Americans,  during  the 
war  of  the  revolution.  But  they  evidently  inclined,  both 
from  their  habits  and  inclijiations,  to  the  party  of  the  Eng- 
lish  and  Indians ;  and  it  was  deemect  by  this  gallant  com- 
mander a  wise  and  just  precaution  to  subject  them,  as 
natural  allies  of  the  savages,  to  the  American  government. 
At  Kaskaskia,  General  Clark  received  intelligence  that 
governor  Hamilton  from  Detroit,  had  arrived  at  Vincenries, 
one  of  the  most  ancient  settlements,  which  the  French  had 
made  east  of  the  Mississippi,  with  a  force  chiefly  compo- 
sed of  Indians,  amounting  to  six  hjiindred  m'^n,  and  des- 
tined against  the  settlements  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virgin- 
ia, wesi  of  the  mountains.  Hamilton  was  unconscious 
that  Gene-^al  Clark  was  between  him  and  the  Mississippi. 
He  reposed  in  perfect  security  at  Vincennes;  and  had  de- 
tached his  Indians  in  marauding  parties  among  the  Amer- 
ican settlements  on  the  Ohio,  reserving  for  the  defence  of 
the  town  only  one  company,  and  a  few  cannon.  General 
Clark  determined  to  surprise  him,  although  it  was  mid-win- 
ter and  the  weather  nncommonly  severe.  He  fitted  out  a 
barge  with  two  small  cannon,  and  four  swivels.  The  barge 
was  obliged  to  make  her  way  through  floating  ice,  under 
circumstances  that  would  have  deterred  any  other  man 
from  making  the  attempt.  In  February  he  set  out  amidst 
the  storms  and  deep  snows,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty 
men,  to  make  his  way  by  land  to  unite  with  the  force  that 


tts 


OF  THE  WEST. 


121 


he  had  sent  around  by  water.  The  hardships  that  he  en- 
dured, and  the  difficulties  he  sunnounted,  can  be  credible 
only  to  those  who  know  the  habits  of  backwoodsmen.  In 
crossing  the  drowned  lands  of  the  Wabash,  they  were  fop- 
ced  to  wade  five  miles  through  the  water  and  ice,  some- 
liraes  as  high  as  their  breasts.  They  appeared  at  length 
before  Vincennesj  and  as  fortune  awarded  it,  almost  sin»- 
ultaneously  with  their  barge.  Their  appearance  was  so 
imexpectd,  and  their  array  so  formidable,  that  Hamilton,  in 
surprise  and  consternation,  at  beholding  such  an  enemy, 
at  such  a  season,  surrendered  the  garrison  prisoners  of  war, 
without  firing  a  gun.  This  commander  had  been  justly 
detestable  for  the  atrocities  practised  by  the  Indians,  either 
by  his  instigation  or  permission.  General  Clark  was  or- 
dered by  the  governor  of  Virginia  to  detajya  him  and  hia 
subordinate  instruments  and  counsellors  in  these  nefari- 
ous transactions,  close  prisoners  in  irons. 

This  daring  and  successful  achievement  drew  after  it  a 
train  of  important  consequences.  It  broke  the  chain  which 
the  British  were  attempting  to  form  behind  our  frontiers. 
It  awed  the  French  inhabitants,  and  gave  us  the  command 
of  the  country  quite  to  the  Mississippi.  It  unkennelled  the 
savages  from  their  lurking  places,  and  detached  them  from 
their  alliances;  and  it  gave  us  a  fair  claim  in  the  definitive 
treaty  to  the  boundary  which  we  obtained  to  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Mississippi.  A  joint  invading  force  of  one 
thousand  men  was  committed  by  Virginia  to  General  M'- 
Intosh,  to  march  at  the  same  time  with  General  Clark  a- 
gainst  the  Indians.  The  force  was  directed  against  the 
Sandusky  tribe.  It  was  less  efficient  and  successful  than 
that  under  General  Clark.  He  found  great  difficulty  in 
raising,  equipping,  and  organizing  so  large  a  force ;  and  it 
was  late  in  the  season  before  it  was  ready  to  march.  Ho 
penetrated  the  interior  as  far  as  Tuscarawa,  and  erected 
fort  La  wrens  on  the  banks  of  that  river,  leaving  a  garri- 
son of  one  hundred  and  fifly  men  under  Colonel  Gibson, 
and  returned  with  the  main  body  to  fort  Pitt. 

In  the  depth  of  winter  a  body  of  savages  approached  the 
new  fort  unperceivod .  Having  caught  th^  garrison  horses 
outside  the  fort,  they  rode  them  into  the  WQods,    Then  ap- 


•* 


,  y$ 


^m 


122 


INDIAN  WARiS 


preaching  the  fort, concealing  themselves  in  the  high  grass, 
and  jingling  the  bells  taken  from  the  horses,  they  succeed- 
ed in  beguiling  sixteen  men  to  come  out  from  the  fort,  in 
the  hope  of  finding  their  horses.  Allured  by  the  sound  of 
(he  bells,  the  detachment  followed  towards  the  sound  until 
they  were  led  into  an  ambuscade  of  the  enemy.  Four- 
teen of  the  sixteen  were  killed,  and  the  other  two  made 
prisoners.  The  garrison  was  now  besieged  by  eight  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  ;/arriors,  continuing  to  menace,  and 
propose  conditions  for  six  weeks,  during  which  time  they 
became  so  destitute  of  provisions,  is  to  be  obliged  to  aban- 
don the  siege.  After  some  other  siirmishes  fatal  to  par- 
ties of  the  Americans,  the  garrison  itself  was  evacuated. 
One  of  the  desperate  conflicts  of  the  settlers  with  the  In- 
dians happened  in  1779,  at  Ricket's  fort  in  West  Virginia. 
Mr.  Morgan  came  in  contact  with  two  Indians,  and  was 
pursued  by  them.  Being  old  and  infirm,  he  faltered  in  his 
flight,  and  stepped  behind  a  tree,  awaiting  his  chances  for 
a  shot.  The  Indians,  too,  slid  behind  trees  to  shoot  him  in 
safety.  One  of  them  was  not  sufficiently  sheltered,  and 
Morgan,  watching  his  opportunity,  at  length  aimed  at  an 
exposed  part  of  his  body.  The  shot  took  effect,  and  the 
savage,  rolling  over  in  the  agony  of  his  wound,  stabbed 
himself  in  the  breast.  Morgan  having  his  gun  thus  un- 
loaded, fled  again.  The  other  Indian  gained  rapidly  on 
him.  Seeing  his  enemy  close  at  hand,  and  his  gun  pois- 
ed, Morgan  adroitly  dropped  aside,  and  the  ball  passed  by 
him.  Both  now  pressed  to  single  combat,  and  the  struggle 
for  life.  Morgan  struck  with  his  gun.  The  Indian  threw 
his  tomahawk,  which  cut  off*  one  finger,  and  otherwise 
wounding  his  hand,  at  the  same  time  disabling  his  gim,  and 
knocking  it  out  of  his  grasp.  They  closed,  and  Morgan 
being  an  expert  wrestler,  threw  the  Indian,  but  was  soon 
overturned  and  beneath  his  powerful  foe,  who  feeling  for 
his  knife,  uttered  the  fearful  Indian  yell  of  assured  victory. 
A  woman's  apron,  which  with  savage  fondness  for  our 
dress,  he  had  bound  round  his  waist,  hindered  him  from 
coming  at  his  knife.  Morgan,  too,  having  got  possession 
of  his  fingers  in  his  teeth,  was  able  to  operate  upon  the 
sinew  of  the  red  skin  with  effect.    The  Indian,  after  fum- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


128 


bling  behind  the  apron,  at  length  grasped  the  knife,  elate 
with  the  confidence  of  despatching  his  prostrate  foe.  But 
he  had  seized  the  handle  far  towards  the  blade;  and  Mor- 
gan was  enabled  to  grasp  the  remainder  of  the  handle.  As 
the  Indian  drew  it  from  the  scabbard,  Morgan,  crippling 
another  finger  with  his  teeth,  causing  the  hand  to  relax  a 
little  from  its  force,  drew  the  knife  through  the  hand  of  the 
savage,  cutting  a  deep  wound  in  his  hand,  as  he  gained  the 
entire  possession  of  it.  B.*th  now  sprang  erect.  But  Mor- 
gan had  still  a  savage  finger  in  his  mouth,  and  the  body  in 
his  grasp,  from  which  the  Indian  was  struggling  to  disen- 
gage himself.  He  had  now  all  the  advantage,  and  was 
soon  able  to  plunge  the  knife  to  the  hilt  in  the  body  of  the 
savage,  which  sunk  from  his  grasp. 

A  female  exploit  on  Dunkard's  creek  ought  to  be  recor- 
ded in  this  place.  Two  or  three  families  of  this  settle- 
ment had  fied  for  safety  to  Mr.  Boyarth's  house.  The  iiv 
dians  came  upon  it,  when  it  contained  only  Mr.  Boyacth 
and  two  other  men.  Warned  by  the  children  that  the  'ugr 
ly  red  men^  had  come,  one  of  the  men  ran  to  the  door.  He 
received  a  shot,  and  fell.  The  Indian-  who  had  shot  him, 
sprang  in  after  him,  and  grappling  with  the  other  white 
man,  was  thrown  on  a  bed.  Having  no  woapon,  the  white 
man  called  M^n.  Boyarth  for  a  knife.  Not  finding  a  knife, 
the  heroine  seized  an  axe,  and  cleft  the  red  man's  skull, 
as  he  lay  under  his  foe.  At  this  moment  another  Indian 
entering  shot  the  victorious  white  man  dead.  Mrs.  Bo- 
yarth brandished  her  axe  upon  him,  as  soon  as  he  had  shot, 
and  by  a  well  directed  blow  at  his  body,  laid  him  yelling 
on  the  floor.  Others  continuing  to  enter,  she  levelled  the 
first  one  by  a  blow  on  the  head.  The  Indian  behind  drew 
out  his  yelling  companion,  and  leaving  the  door  way  clear, 
she  closed  it  on  the  rest,  and  made  it  fast.  The  men  with- 
in had  been  wounded,  but  not  so  as  to  prevent  their  aiding 
the  heroine  to  maintain  possession  of  the  house,  until  they 
were  relieved  by  a  party  from  a  neighboring  settlement. 
All  the  children  in  the  yard  were  slain,  and  the  whole  trans- 
action scarcely  occupied  three  minutes,  during  which  Mrs. 
Boyarth  killed  three  Indians,  and  saved,  the  remainder  of 
the  family.. 


124 


INDIAN  WARS 


An  Indian  expedition  about  this  time,  advancing  from 
Wheeling  to  Washington,  had  made  many  prisoners. — 
Learning  that  a  strong  force  was  embodying  against  them, 
they  determined  to  massacre  all  their  prisoners,  and  re- 
trace their  steps  across  the  Ohio.  Dreadfully  did  they  car- 
ry their  sa'^ge  purpose  into  effect.  The  members  of  fam- 
ilies were  pinioned,  and  bound  to  trees  in  sight  of  each  oth- 
er. -Parents,  children,  husbands,  and  wives  were  all  slow- 
ly despatched  in  each  others'  view.  Their  tormentors,  the 
while,  exulting  in  this  spectacle  of  ineffable  horror. 

Another  similar  massacre  occurred.  A  party  of  Indians 
assailed  the  settlements  near  Booth's  creek,  on  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Monongahela.  They  came  upon  the  house 
of  Captain  Thomas,  a  religious  man.  In  the  midst  of  his 
family  of  seven  children,  himself  and  wife  had  just  risen 
from  prayers,  and  were  singing  the  first  line  of  the4iymn 
Kio  worship  at  Immanuel's  feet,'  when  a  gun  was  fired  at 
him,  and  he  fell.  The  mother  implored  mercy  for  herself 
and  her  children  in  vain.  The  mother  and  six  children 
were  stricken  with  the  merciless  tomahawk.  The  seventh 
child  was  taken  captive.  A  neighbor  who  was  with  this 
unfortunate  family,  engaged  in  prayer  with  the  rest,  crept 
under  the  bed,  when  the  first  gun  was  fired,  and  escaped 
the  observation  of  the  savages  through  all  this  scene  of 
horror.  The  savages  plundered  every  thing,  and  firing  the 
house,  lefl  it.  The  neighbor,  drawn  from  concealment  by 
the  flames,  found  Mrs-.  Thomas  still  alive,  though  she  soon 
afler  expired. 

Some  prisoners  at  this  time  were  rescued  from  the  sav- 
ages by  a  party  of  relatives,  who  pursued  and  fired  upon 
them.  As  soon  as  the  fire  of  the  whites  was  opened  on 
the  red  men,  five  of  theni  fell  dead.  The  remainder  fled, 
abandoning  a  mass  of  plunder.  Unhappily,  one  of  the 
prisoners,  Alexander  Rony,  was  killed  by  the  fire  of  his 
own  people.  His  mother  escaping  from  them,  and  ignor- 
ant that  her  son  was  among  the  slain,  frantic  in  the  exul- 
tation of  deliverance,  exclaimed,  as  she  reached  the  rescu- 
ing party,  *I  am  Alexander  Rony's  wife,  of  the  valley,  and 
a  pretty  little  woman  too,  if  I  was  well  dressed.'  An  Irish- 
man, also,  was  delivered,  who  benumbed,  dressed  like  an 


OF  THE  WEST. 


125 


Indiaiiy  and  from  his  bro&d  dialect,  scarcely  able  to  make 
himself  understood,  had  well  nigh  been  sacrificed  as  an  In- 
dian. Terror  unloosed  his  organs  of  speech,  and  he  ex- 
claimed in  his  own  broad  dialect.  ^Lord  Jesus!  am  I  to 
be  killed  by  white  people  at  last?^  These  exclamations 
saved  his  life.  Impartiality  requires  us  to  add  that  our 
own  people  sometimes  proved  savage,  and  acted  after  the 
worst  examples  of  their  foe.  The  only  mitigation  of  the 
horrible  massacre  of  the  Moravian  Indian  settlements  must 
be  found  in  the  exasperated  state  of  the  public  mind,  goad- 
ed to  almost  unendurable  revenge  by  a  series  of  Indian  a^ 
saults  and  murders,  which  had  been  accumulating  in  the 
public  memory  for  half  a  century. 

These  converted  savages  were  settled  on  the  Musking- 
um. They  had  been  converted  through  the  agency  cf  the 
Moravians,  had  received  either  German  or  Bible  names, 
and  had  made  no  inconsiderable  progress  in  civilization 
and  Christianity.  Situated  intermediate  between  the  hos- 
tile savages  and  the  frontier  whites,  allied  to  the  one  peo- 
ple by  blood,  and  to  the  other  by  the  ties  of  a  common  faith, 
striving  to  do  good  to  both,  and  be  friends  to  each,  they 
shared  the  common  fate  of  mediation  between  fierce,  jeal- 
ous, and  hostile  opponents.  They  were  suspected  by  both, 
and  trusted  by  neither.  The  whites  were  planning  their 
destruction,  because  of  their  supposed  co-operation  with 
the  savages.  Their  own  race  charged  them  with  convey- 
ing information  to  the  whites,  discouraging  their  allies, 
and  frustrating  their  vengeance.  Their  number  amoun- 
ted to  between  three  and  four  hundred.  Jealousies,  ru- 
mors, suspicions,  criminations  had  been  gathering  force  »- 
gainst  them  for  years.  At  length  a  private  expedition 
was  fitted  out  against  them,  commanded  by  Colonel  Wil- 
liams.  The  professed  object  was  to  destroy  their  crops, 
that  the  hostile  savages  coming  through  their  country ,  might 
not  avail  themselves  of  this  resource  for  supplies,  and  to 
remove  the  Indian  converts  to  fort  Pitt.  The  village  was 
surroiHided  with  the  same  precautions,  as  though  the  invj^- 
ding  force  expected  to  be  attacked.  In  fact,  the  infuria>- 
ted  whites,  on  some  pretext,  real  or  supposed,  began  to  fire 
upon  the  Indians,  and  three  or  four  of  the  converts  were 

11* 


;i.l':-| 

"i^: 


fynm 


*%>  't'lr 


M 


126 


INDIAN  WARS 


killed.  The  rest  surrendered.  Their  brethreii  were  col- 
lected from  the  neighboring  villages.  All  showed  an  en- 
tire readiness  to  be  conducted  to  fort  Pitt,  and  gave  up  their 
arms.  Colonel  Williams  had  been  censured  for  using  too 
much  lenity  towards  this  people  on  a  former  expedition  a- 
gainsj  them.  An  accursed  thirst  for  popularity,  reckless 
of  justice,  has  been  one  of  the  vilest  traits  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  from  the  beginning.  A  council  was  held  m 
regard  to  the  fate  of  this  hapless  people.  Alas !  all  the 
fiercer  passions  bad  sealed  their  doom.  But  a  few  were 
found  siifticiently  independent  and  just  to  incline  to  the 
side  of  mercy.  The  victims  were  forewarned  that  they 
must  die.  Imprisoned,  unarmed,  they  fell  into  each  others' 
arms,  wept,  prayed,  confessed,  forgave,  soothed,  and  en- 
couraged each  other.  Their  comforting  words  were  all  about 
a  happy  meeting,  'where  the  wicked  trouble  not,  and  the 
weary  are  at  rest.'  Being  asked  if  they  were  ready  to  die, 
they  answered, '  Yes.  We  have  commended  our  souls  to 
God,  and  are  ready  to  die.'  Thus  fell  ninety-six  Mo- 
ravian Indians,  of  each  sex  and  every  age,  from  the  hoa- 
ry head  to  the  infant  on  its  mother's  breast.  The  black 
transaction  stands  recorded  to  repress  national  boastful- 
ness,  and  an  impressive  memento  to  teach  the  people  to 
listen  to  the  voice  of  truth  and  mercy,  rather  than  the 
brute  suggestions  of  the  passions.  This  expedition  was 
conducted  by  inhabitants  of  West  Pennsylvania. 

This  dreadful  success  drew  numbers  around  th(g  standard 
of  this  expedition,  until  the  force  amounted  to  five  hundred. 
Under  the  command  of  Colonel  Crawford  it  moved  against 
the  Moravians,  near  the  Upper  Sandusky.  When  arrived 
at  these  villages,  they  found  them  utterly  deserted  j  and 
the  expedition  weary,  misguided,  and  dispirited,  commen- 
ced a  return  march.  They  were  attackend  on  their  return, 
by  a  large  body  of  Indians,  and  after  soi^  loss,  were  glad 
to  divide  in  small  parties,  and  retreat  in  the  night.  The 
Indians  fell  upon  these  parties  in  detail,  harassing  them, 
killing,  and  making  prisoners  on  all  their  return  inarch. 
Crawford  himself  with  nine  others  were  made  prisoners, 
and  marched  off  towards  the  Indian  towns.  They  soon 
came  upon  the  bodies  of  four  of  the  captives,  and  arrived 


OF  THE  WEST. 


127 


W 


in  time  to  see  iSve  more  put  to  death  by  squaws  and  boysy 
who  were  immediately  engaged  in  kicking  about  the  bloody 
heads  in  sport.  Soon  after,  they  met  Simon  Girty  aiid 
several  Indians  on  horse  back.  Colonel  Crawford,  mean« 
while,  was  stripped  naked,  pinioned,  and  fastened  to  a  post 
by  a  cord,  which  allowed  him  to  sit  down,  and  walk  once 
or  twice  around  it.  A  fire  burnt  briskly  close  by.  The 
doomed  sufferer  looked  at  Girty,  as  one  of  his  own  race, 
and  asked  him  if  he  had  been  spared  the  tomahawk  only  to 
die  by  a  slow  fire.  *X^s,'  observed  the  monster  with  com- 
posure, *you  must  be  burned.  Colonel.'  *Dreadfull'  repli- 
ed the  sufferer.  *But  I  will  endeavor  to  bear  it  patiently.' 
All  the  sickening  inflictions  of  torture  which  savage  inge-- 
nuity  could  invent,  were  applied.  In  the  midst  of  this  long 
agony,  lie  begged  Girty  to  shoot  him.  The  wretch  replied, 
ironically  laughing  heartily  the  while, *How  can  I?  You 
gee  I  have  no  gun.'  The  scene  lasted  more  than  three 
hours. 

Dr.  Knight,  who  had  been  taken  with  him,  witnessed  this 
revolting  spectacle,  and  was  told  by  Girty  that  he  must  be 
led  to  the  Shawnese  towns  to  aflford  the  inhabitants  the 
same  gratifying  show.  The  distance  was  forty  miles. 
Having  been  cunducted  twenty-five  under  the  guard  of  a 
young  warrior,  and  stopping  to  encamp,  the  Indian  unpin- 
ioned  him,  to  enable  him  to  make  a  fii*e  to  drive  away  the 
mosquitoes.  Watching  his  opportunity,  he  gave  the  sav- 
age a  blow  which  stunned  him.  He  seized  the  gun  of  his 
captor,  who,  seeing  his  position,  fled  with  a  yell  of  terror. 
He  drew  the  cock  of  the  Indian's  gun,  with  so  much  force, 
in  his  eagerness  to  fire,  as  to  break  it,  and  the  Indian  esca- 
ped. After  wandering  twenty-one  days  in  the  woods,  sub- 
sisting on  berries,  nettles,  and  rav/  tarrapins,  and  food  of 
that  kind,  he  arrived  in  a  famished  state  at  fort  M'Intosh. 

The  massacre  of  the  family  of  the  Rev.  John  Corbly,on 
Muddy  creek  in  West  Pennsylvania,  from  obvious  circum- 
stances, excited  a  strong  sympathy  at  the  time.  The  fa- 
ther, his  wife,  and  five  children  were  on  their  way  to  the 
church  where  he  officiated.  He  happened  to  be  a  little 
way  in  the  rear.  His  wife,  assailed  first  by  the  Indians, 
warned  him  to  fly.    He  fled  to  raise  assistance.    They 


/• 


Vt.v 


'i 


128 


INDIAN  WARS 


began  with  the  infant  in  its  mother's  arms.  The  toma* 
hawk  fell  in  succession  upon  each,  and  last  upon  the  hap' 
less  mother.  When  the  father  returned,  two  of  his  daugh- 
ters  manifested  signs  of  life,  and  were  recovered. 

An  amusing  incident  which  occurred  in  a  second  Indian 
expedition  against  Wheeling,  serves  to  break  the  gloomy 
uniformity  of  these  chronicles.  The  house  of  Colonel 
Zane,  outside  of  the  fort,  contained  a  supply  of  ammunition, 
and  was  garrisoned  by  aeven  or  eight  persons,  male  and 
female,  beside  his  own  family.  He  was  determined  to 
maintain  it.  The  savage  army  approached,  and  before  fi' 
ring  upon  the  fort,  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  house. 
A  brief  and  well  directed  fire  was  the  reply.  The  women, 
aa  usual,  moulded  bullets,  charged  the  guns,  and  handed 
them  to  the  men,  enabling  them  to  fire  with  so  much  viva< 
city,  as  to  cause  the  assailants  to  recoil.  By  night,  they 
attempted  to  fire  the  house.  A  savage  crawled  to  the 
kitchen,  and  while  waving  a  brand  in  the  air,  to  kindle  the 
fire  so  as  to  communicate  it,  received  a  shot  from  a  black 
man,  which  sent  him  yelling  away.  An  incident  which 
promised  the  savages  success  in  the  end,  operated  in  favor 
of  the  besieged.  A  small  boat  from  fort  Pitt,  bound  to  the 
Falls  of  the  Ohio,  loaded  with  cannon  balls,  put  to  shore 
at  Wheeling.  It  was  steered  by  one  man,  who,  though 
slightly  wounded,  reached  the  fort.  The  boat  of  course 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  savages.  They  had  balls  in  a- 
bundance,  and  a  single  cannon  would  have  enabled  them 
to  batter  down  the  pallisade.  Necessity  with  the  red  as 
the  white  race  is  the  mother  of  invention.  A  hollow  log 
was  procured  with  a  cavity  of  calibre  as  nearly  fitting  the 
balls,  as  they  could  find.  To  render  the  new;  piece  of  ord- 
nance safe,  they  adopted  the  ingenious  expedient  of  apply- 
ing chains  obtained  from  a  blacksmith's  shop  hard  by,  and 
strongly  twisted  them  around  either  end  of  the  wooden  can- 
non. It  was  then  heavily  charged,  and  pointed  towards 
the  pallisade.  Their  imaginations  presenting  the  walls 
battered  dowQ,and  themselves  entering  to  apply  the  toma- 
hawk and  scalping  knite,  they  applied  fire.  Like  the  o 
vercharged  gun  of  Hudibras,  the  wooden  mi:^chief  blew 
into  a  thousand  fragments,  killed  a  number,  wouiided  more, 


OF  THE  WEST. 


129 


and  lefl  the  sUlrvivors  staring  in  mute  astonishmont  at  the 
folly  of  meddling  with  the  inventions  of  the  white  men. 

Exasperated  to  frenzy,  they  returned  from  the  discomfit- 
ure of  the  log  cannon  to  the  assault  of  the  house.  A  deadi- 
ly  fire  again  compelled  them  to  retire.  Meanwhile,  the 
ammunition  was  failing,  and  unless  a  supply  could  be  ob- 
tained, the  house  must  yield.  It  was  proposed  that  some 
one  should  make  a  sally  among  the  savages,  and  bring  from 
the  fort  a  heg  of  powder.  Though  the  enterprise  was  for- 
lorn, volunteers  offered  to  assume  it.  A  young  sister  of 
Colonel  Zane,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  boarding  school 
in  Philadelphia,  was  of  the  numher.  When  reminded  of 
the  advantage  of  fleetness  and  force,  which  a  man  would 
have  over  her,  the  heroine  replied  *that  the  loss  of  a  woman 
would  be  less  felt.'  Arranging  her  dress  for  the  purpose, 
she  bounded  towards  the  fort.  The  besiegers  under  their 
native  impulses,  stood  wrapt  in  admiration,  and  only  ex- 
claimed, 'a  squaw !  a  squaw  '.1'  When  arrived  at  the  fort, 
Colonel  Silas  Zane,  who  commanded  the  fort,  filled  a  table 
cloth  with  the  contents  of  a  keg  of  powder,  bound  it  round 
her  waist,  and  sent  forth  his  fair  and  admirable  kinswoman 
on  her  glorious  errand.  The  Indians  discovering  the  ob- 
ject of  her  mission,  were  no  longer  chained  into  inaction  by 
the  daring  of  the  fair  squaw !  But  she  escaped  untouched 
through  a  whole  volley  of  balls,  and  reached  the  fort  in 
safety.  A  party  soon  after  relieved  the  fort,  and  raised 
the  siege. 

An  achievement  of  Mr.  Adam  Poe,  about  this  time  would 
be  worthy  the  narration  of  Sir  Walter  Scott.  A  party  of 
savage  marauders  were  out  between  Wheeling  and  fort 
j  Pitt.  Eight  men  pursued  them.  Among  these  were  two 
brothers  of  the  name  of  Poe,  remarkable  for  gigantic  size 
I  and  strength.  Adam  Poe  fearing  an  ambuscade,  lefl  the 
rest,  crossed  the  Ohio,  and  under  high  weeds  crawled  down 
the  bank,  searching  for  the  enemy.  A  Wyandott  chief, 
a  large  and  powerful  man,  and  a  small  Indian  were  on  the 
shore,  and  so  intent  upon  their  own  espionage,  as  not  to 
have  noticed  him.  Poe's  gun  missed,  and  the  noise  of  the 
lock  betrayed  him.  Too  near  to  retreat,  he  grasped  the 
large  Indian  by  the  breast  with  one  arm,  and  the  small  ono 


I'Wt 


'mm 

l|Bfi 

^H» 

i 

ISO 


INDIAN  WARS 


round  the  neck  with  the  other,  and  threw  both  on  the  shelv- 
ing  bank.  The  small  Indian  cleared  himself  from  his  grasp, 
and  aimed  his  tomahawk  at  his  head.  A  kick  opportune- 
ly applied,  staggered  him,  and  shook  the  tomahawk  from 
his  hand.  Recovering  it  in  a  moment,  the  nimble  Indian 
flourished  some  exulting  blows  over  his  head,  as  preludes 
to  the  intended  fatal  one.  Waiting  for  that,  Poe  threw  up 
his  arm,  and  averted  it  from  his  head  by  a  wound  in  his 
wrist.  Extricatinor  himself  from  tho^clulches  of  the  chief, 
who  was  attempting  the  while  to  throw  him  to  the  earth,  he 
matched  his  fallen  gun,  and  shot  the  little  Indian  dead.  By 
this  time  the  large  chief  was  erect,  and  seizing  Poe  by  the 
leg  and  shoulder  at  the  same  moment,  prostrated  him.  Poe 
bounded  on  his  feet  in  an  instant,  and  both  closed  ina  strug- 
^e,  which  plunged  both  in  the  Ohid.  A  contest  ensued  be- 
tween these  great  and  fierce  combatants,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  drown  each  other.  First  one  and  then  the  other 
was  thrust  under  the  water  by  alternate  successful  efforts. 
Poe  at  length  seized  the  long,  black  club  of  hair  on  the 
carown  of  the  chief,  skewered  up  in  Indian  fashion,  and 
held  the  red  man  under  the  water,  until  he  thought  he  had 
consigned  him  to  the  empire  of  the  fishes.  But  he  mistook. 
The  savage  was  again  erect  in  the  water,  and  grappling 
again,  each  was  carried  beyond  his  depth,  and  obliged  to 
«wim.  Both  aimed  for  shore,  each  straining  to  reach  k 
first,  in  order  to  seize  one  of  the  guns  lying  there,  and  dis' 
patch  the  other.  The  Indian  proved  the  better  swimmer; 
and  Poe  perceiving  it,  made  for  the  middle  of  the  stream  Id 
the  hope  to  avoid  the  shot  of  his  foe  by  diving.  Fortunate- 
ly, the  chief  first  took  the  gun  of  the, other  Indian  which 
&d  been  discharged,  and  Poe  gained  tune  and  was  thus 
enabled  to  get  farther  into  the  river.  Two  of  tlie  whites 
tame  up  at  this  moment,  and  mistaking  Poe  for  a  wound- 
ed Indian,  firetT  and  wounded  him  in  the  shoulder.  He 
turned  and  swam  bleeding  towards  the  shore,  and  recog- 
nized his  brother,  called  on  him  to  shoot  the  big  Indian  be- 
tween him  and  the  shore.  The  brother  shot  the  Indian, 
and  then  plunged  in  the  water  to  aid  his  brother  to  get  to 
shore.  MeanwhiJe,  the  wounded  Indian,  to  escape  being 
scalped,  {dunged  into  the  deep  water,  and  sunk  to  rise  no  | 
more. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


131 


In  1784,  general  horror  was  excited  by  the  result  of  an 
expedition  oTthe  savages  to  Clinch  river,  in  which,  among 
many  murders,  and  the  taking  of  many  prisoners,  Mrs. 
Moore,  and  her  daughter  Jane,  an  interesting  girl  of  si^v- 
teen,  were  burnt  to  death  with  all  the  aggravated  circuii> 
stances  of  Indian  torture. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  female  heroism  iet  recorded  in 
the  case  of  Mrs.  Morill,  of  Nelson  county,  in  1701.  The 
house  was  assaulted  by  savages.  Mr.  Merill  opened  the 
door  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  barking  of  the  dogs.  Ha 
was  fired  at,  and  fell  wounded  into  the  room.  •The  sava- 
ges attempted  to  rush  in  after  him,  but  Mrs.  Merill  and  her 
daughter  effectually  closed  the  door.  The  assailants  began 
to  hew  a  passage  through  it  with  their  tomahawks ;  and 
having  made  a  breach,  began  to  squeeze  through  into  the 
room.  Undismayed  by  the  cries  and  groans  within,  and 
the  exulting  yells  without,  the  courageous  wife  seized  an 
axe,  gave  the  entering  ruffian  a  fatal  blow,  and  dragged 
him  through  the  opening  in  the  door.  Another  and  anotlv- 
er  pressed  in,  supposing  their  'precursors  were  safely  en- 
gaged  in  the  work  of  death  within,  until  four  were  slain. 
The  silence  within  induced  one  of  those  without  to  exploro 
the  interior,  through  the  crevice  of  the  door.  Discovering 
the  fate  of  his  companions  within,  afler  some  counsel  with 
those  without,  two  mounted  the  house,  and  began  to  d» 
scend  the  broad  wooden  chimney.  Aware  from  the  noise 
of  the  climbers  what  was  in  agitation,  Mrs.  Merill  prompt- 
ly met  that  danger.  Her  little  son  was  ordered  to  cut  open 
a  feather  bed,  and  throw  the  contents  in  the  fire.  The  two 
lodgers  in  the  funnel,  scorched  and  suffocated  by  the  buriv 
ing  feathers,  tumbled  down  in  a  half  insensibility  far  from 
enviable.  Mr.  Merill  so  far  recovered  from  his  wound  as 
to  aid  his  heroic  wife,  helped  to  dispatch  them,  while  i^ 
continued  to  guard  the  door  with  her  uplifted  axe.  Anothr 
er  savage  a^emptod  to  enter,  but  was  saluted  with  such  a 
blow,  as  drove  him  howling  away.  Thus  the  whole  party 
were  either  killed  or  wounded  by  female  intrepidity  with- 
out a  parallel.  A  prisoner  heard  this  incident  related  by 
the  survivor  in  his  own  town.  Being  asked  as  usual,  ^what 
news?^  he  answered  'bad  news!  The  squaw  fight  worse 
than  the  Long  knives.' 


mm 
'm. 


IfM 


'1 


ld3 


INDIAN  WARS 


We  select  but  one  incident  more  from  these  border  hor- 
rors. Two  boys  living  on  Short  creek,  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  OhiO)  were  at  play  at  a  distance  from  their  house. 
They  were  taken  captive  by  two  Indians,  and  led  away 
four  miles  into  the  wilderness,  where  their  captors,  ailer 
giving  them  food,  laid  down  for  the  night,  each  holding  one 
of  the  captives  in  his  arms.  The  elder  endeavored  to  com- 
fort his  brother  with  the  hope  of  escape.  The  younger 
wept  bitterly  on  finding  himself  in  tlie  power  of  those  ter- 
rible  red  men,  with  the  dread  of  whom  his  mother  had  of- 
ten hushecVhim  to  sleep.  But  the  trembling  one  soon  fell 
asleep  in  the  muscular  arms  of  his  master.  The  other 
slept  not;  and  finding  his  keeper  in  sound  sleep,  he  arose, 
and  to  try  the  soundness  of  the  sleep  of  his  captors,  renew- 
ed the  fire  with  such  movements  as  required  noise,  and 
would  yet  seem  allowable  to  the  Indians,  should  they  a- 
waken.  Their  sleep  remained  profound.  He  walked  to 
his  brother,  gently  awakened  him,  and  whispered  in  his 
ear,  *we  had  better  go  home  now.'  Ti^e  younger  replied, 
*tl4ey  will  follow  and  catch  us.'  *Never  fear,'  said  the  el- 
der, *we  will  take  care  for  that.'  It  was  not  without  dif- 
ficulty  that  the  elder  prevailed  on  the  younger  to  aid  him 
in  killing  their  captors.  The  Indians  had  but  one  gun  be- 
tween them,  and  near  it  lay  their  tomahawks.  The  elder 
placed  the  gun  levelled  on  a  log  near  the  ear  of  one  of  the 
I  .dians,  and  stationed  his  brother  with  his  finger  on  the 
trigger  to  pull  it  at  his  signal.  He  bestrode  the  other  sav- 
age with  tomahawk  in  hand.  Brandishing  it  as  the  signal 
for  pulling  the  trigger,  the  gun  was  discharged  and  the 
toirilfihawk  fell  together.'  Lay  on,'  exclaimed  the  younger, 
*I  have  done  it  for  mine.'  The  first  blow  of  the  tomahawk 
was  not  fatal ;  but  it  was  plied  anew  with  so  much  force,  i 
that  the  Indian,  who  upon  the  first  blow  had  risen  to  his 
feet,  was  brought  down  again.  Leaving  their  captors  dead, 
the  young  heroes  set  off  for  home,  where  they  arrivea  at  j 
early  dawn,  and  heard,  as  they  came  to  the  do<.r,  the  plain- 
tive voice  of  their  mother,  exclaiming  *poor  little  fellows,  | 
they  are  killed  or  taken  prisoners.'  *No,'  they  res 
from  without,  <we  are  here  safe.' 


r9f'M 


OF  THE  WEST, 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SETTLEMENT    OP   OHIO. 

Previous  to  entering  upon  the  annals  of  the  Indian  wars 
incident  to  the  settlement  of  thif,  great  stale,  it  becomes 
necessary  to  dwell  a  moment  upon  some  events  of  greater 
and  more  general  moment  to  the  interest  of  ihe  whole  val- 
ley, and  to  the  settlement  of  Ohio,  than  these  chronicles  of 
skirmishes,  and  the  assaults  and  massacres  of  detached  set- 
tlements. The  battles  of  General  Harmar,  General  St. 
Clair,  and  General  Wayne  were  fought  by  considerable 
bodies  of  regular  troops,  raised  by  the  general  government, 
with  great  masses  of  Indians.  The  consequences  of  these 
battles,  were  felt  over  all  the  West,  and  through  the  Union. 
We  retui'n  to  the  order  of  events  in  the  West,  immediately 
subsequent  to  the  close  of  the  revolutionary  war. 

The  savages  had  generally  taken  part  with  Britain  in 
this  war.  That  power  still  held  posts  within  our  ceded 
limits,  whence  her  traders  issued  the  means  of  influence 
and  corruption  among  them.  These  posts  were  central 
points  from  which  they  marched  upon  our  incipient  settle- 
ments on  the  frontier,  armed  with  the  tomahawk  and  the 
scalping  knife.  One  of  the  earliest  objects  of  the  attention 
of  our  government  after  the  war,  was  either  to  pacify  the 
Indians,  or  restrain  and  punish  their  cruelties.  The 
Creeks,  a  powerful  nation  in  the  centre  of  the  southern 
country,  were  in  a  position  to  be  excited  to  enmity,  both 
by  Britain  and  Spain.  They  were  headed  at  Iiis  time  by 
M-Gillivray,  a  man  who  united  in  his  character  the  strong 
points,  both  of  the  savage  and  the  civilized  life.  He  was 
at  first  refractory  and  indisposed  to  terma^^  |A.eecond  ef- 
fort with  him  was  more  successful.  ColoiwI^iSltletj  who 
was  charged  with  the  negotiation,  induced  Mlimivray  to 
repair  to  New  York ;  and  a  treaty  was  signed  Which  bears 
liis  name  along  with  that  of  Washington. 

12 


1S4 


INDIAN  WARS 


Attempts  to  pacify  the  Indians  of  the  Wabash  and  the 
Miami  were  not  equally  successful.  The  measures  of 
Washington  were  soon  taxen.  When  he  saw  that  the  or- 
dinary motives  would  have  no  effect  in  briiiging  ihcni  to 
terms,  policy  and  humanity  alike  called  for  strong  mea&> 
ures.  An  expedition  against  the  hostile  tribes  north-west 
cf  the  Ohio,  was  planned.  The  object  was  to  bring  the  In- 
dians to  a  general  engagement;  or  if  that  might  not  be,  to 
destroy  their  establishments  on  the  waters  of  the  Scioto  and 
the  Wabash.  General  Uarmar  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  this  expedition.  Major  Ilanlitranck,  with  a  de- 
tachment, was  to  make  a  diversion  in  his  favor  up  the  Wa- 
bash. 

On  the  13th  of  September,  1791,  General  Harmar 
marched  from  fort  Washington,  the  present  site  of  Cincin- 
nati, with  three  hundred  and  twenty  regulars,  and  cfTected 
a  junction  with  the  militia  of  Penns^  Ivania  and  Kentucky, 
which  had  advanced  twenty-five  miles  in  front.   The  whole 
force  amounted  to  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty-three 
men.  Colonel  Hardin,  who  commanded  the  Kentucky  mi- 
litia, was  detached  with  six  hundred  men,  chiefly  militia, 
to  reconnoitre.     On  his  approach  to  the  Indian  settlements, 
the  Indians  set  fire  to  their  villages  and  fled.    In  order,  if 
possible,  to  overtake  them,  he  was  detached  with  a  small- 
er force  that  could  be  moved  more  rapidly.    It  consisted 
of  two  hundred  and  ten  men.     A  small  party  of  Indians 
met,  and  attacked  them ;  and  the  greater  part  of  the  mili- 
tia behaved  badly, — leaving  a  few  brave  men  wlio  would 
not  fly,  to  their  fate.    Twenty-three  of  the  party  fell,  and 
seven  only  made  their  escape,  and  rejoined  the  army.  Not- 
withstanding this  check,  the  army  succeeded  so  far  as  to 
reduce  the  remaining  towns  to  ashes,  and  destroy  their  pro- 
visions. 

On  their  return  to  fort  Washington,  General  Ilarmar 
was  desirous  of  wiping  oflT  in  another  action,  the  disgrace 
which  public  opinion  had  impressed  upon  his  arms.  He 
halted  eight  miles  from  Chillicothe;  and  late  at  night,  de- 
tached Colonel  Hardin,  with  orders  to  find  the  enemy,  and 
bnng  them  to  an  engsigement.  Early  in  the  morning  this 
detachment  reached  the  enemy,  and  a  severe  engagement 


V. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


135 


ensued.  The  savages  fought  with  desperation.  Some  o^ 
the  American  troops  shrunk;  but  the  officers  conducted 
with  great  gallantry.  Most  of  them  fell,  bravely  discharg- 
ing their  duty.  More  than  fifty  regular^nd  one  hundred 
militia,  including  the  brave  officers,  Fontaine,  Willys,  and 
Frothmgham,  were  slain. 

Harmar,  in  his  official  account  of  this  affair,  claimed  the 
victory,  although  the  Americans  seem  clearly^t%have  had 
the  worst  of  it.  At  his  request,  he  was  tried1^&  court 
martial,  and  honorably  acquitted.  The  enemy  hadTs^ffei^ 
ed  so  severely,  that  they  allowed  him  to  return  unmolested 
to  fort  Washington, 

The  terrors  and  the  annoyance  of  Indian  hostilities  still 
hung  over  the  western  settlements.  The  call  was  Iqud  and 
general  from  the  frontiers,  for  ample  and  efficient  protec- 
tion. Congress  placed  the  means  in  the  hands  of  the  ex- 
ecutiye.  Major  General  Arthur  St.  Clair  was  appointed 
'•j  im.  a'.-^j*  in  chief  of  the  forces  to  be  employed  in  the 
moaitiaiJ  expedition.  The  objects  of  it  vore,  to  destroy 
the  Indian  settlements  between  the  Miamies,  to  expel  them 
from  the  country,  and  establish  a  chain  of  posts,  which 
should  prevent  their  return  duri'ij  the  war.  This  army 
was  late  in  assembling  in  the  vicinity  effort  Washington. 
They  marched  directly  towards  the  chief  establishments  of 
the  enemy,  building  and  garrisoning  in  their  way  the  two 
intermediate  forts,  Hamilton  and  Jefferson.  After  the  de- 
tachments had  been  made  for  these  garrisons,  the  effective 
force  that  remained  amounted  to  something  less  than  two 
thousand  men.  To  open  a  road  for  their  march  was  a  slow 
and  tedious  busimegg.  Small  parties  of  Indians  were  of^ 
ten  seen  ho/e'  ii^^c  about  their  march;  and  some  unimpor- 
tant skirmisLc  •  >  .!'  place.  As  the  army  ap(hx>ached  the 
enemy's  coi  'ic.  y ,  st  ty  of  the  militia  deaerted  in  a  body 
To  prevent  tht  mt  t  m*^.Q  of  such  an  example,  Major  Ham- 
tranck  was.detached  with  a  regiment  in  pursuit  of  the  de- 
serteis.  The  army  now. consisting  of  one  thousand  four 
hundre^  •"  a,  contmued  ifs  march.  On  the  3d  of  Novem- 
ber, 1792,  it  encamped  fifteen  miles  south  of  the  Miami 
villages.  Having^  i)ton  rejoined  by  Major  Hamtranck, 
General  St.  Clair  proposed  to  march  immediately  against 
them. 


wmm 


rs  ■*# 


136 


INDIAN  WARff 


Half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  the  militia  was  attacked  by 
the  savages,  and  fled  in  the  utmost  confusion.  They  burst 
through  the  formed  line  of  the  regulars  into  the  camp. 
Great  efforts  were  made  by  the  officers,  to  restore  order; 
but  not  with  the  desired  success.  The  Indians  pressed  upon 
the  heels  of  the  flying  militia,  and  engaged  General  But- 
ler with  great  intrepidity.  I'he  action  became  warm  and 
general;  and  the  fire  of  the  assailants  passing  round  both 
Banks  of  the  first  line,  in  a  few  minutes  was  poured  with 
equal  fury  upon  the  rear.  The  artillerists  in  the  centre 
were  mowed  down;  and  the  fire  was  the  more  galling,  as 
it  was  directed  by  an  invisible  enemy,  crouching  on  the 
ground,  or  concealed  behind  trees.  In  this  manner  they 
advanced  towards  the  very  mouths  of  the  cannon  ;  and 
fought  with  the  iiiCiriated  fierceness  with  which  success 
always  animates  st  i  Some  of  the  soldiers  exhibited 

military  fearlessness,  i .  tbught  with  great  bravery.  Oth- 
ers were  timid  and  disposed  to  fly.  With  a  self-devotion, 
which  the  occasion  required,  the  officers  generally  expo- 
sed themselves  to  the  hottest  of  the  contest,  and  fell  in  great 
numbers  in  desperate  efforts  to  restore  the  battle.  The 
commanding  general,  though  he  had  been  for  some  time 
enfeebled  with  severe  disease,  acted  with  personal  brave- 
ry, and  delivered  his  orders  with  judgment  and  self-posses- 
sion. A  charg*)  was  made  upon  the  savages  with  the  bay- 
onet; and  they  were  driven  from  their  covert  with  some 
loss,  a  distance  of  four  hundred  yards.  But  as  soon  as  the 
charge  was  puspended  tlKjy  returned  to  the  attack.  Gen- 
eral Butler  was  mortally  wounded;,  the  left  of  the  right 
wing  broken,  and  the  artillerists  killed  almost  to  a  man. 
The  guns  were  seized,  and  the  camp  penetrated  by  the  en- 
emy. A  desperate  charge  was  headed  by  Colonel  Butlev, 
although  he  was  severely  wounded;  and  the  Indians  were 
again  driven  from  the  camp,  and  the  artillery  recovered. 
Several  chaises  were  repeated  with  partial  success.  The 
enemy  only  retreated,  to  return  to  the  charge,  flushed  with 
new  ardor.  The  ranks  of  the  troops  were  broken,  and  the 
men  pressed  together  in  crowds,  and  were  shot  down  with- 
out resistance.  A  retreat  was  all  that  remained,  to  save 
U)i9  rempaiut  of  the  army.    Colonel  Darke  was  ordered  to 


OF  THE  WEST. 


137 


charge  a  body  of  savages  that  intercepted  their  retreat. 
Major  Clark,  with  his  battalion,  was  directed  to  cover  tha 
rear.  These  orders  were  carried  into  effect ;  and  a  most 
disorderly  flight  commenced.  A  pursuit  was  kept  up  four 
miles,  when  fortunately  fur  the  surviving  Americans,  the 
natural  greediness  of  the  savage  appetite  for  plunder  calU 
ed  back  the  victorious  Indians  to  the  camp,  to  divide  the 
spoils.  The  routed  troops  continued  their  flight  to  fort 
Jefferson,  throwing  away  their  arms  on  the  road.  The 
wounded  were  left  here,  and  the  army  retired  upon  fort 
Washington. 

In  this  fatal  battle  fell  thirty-eight  commissioned  officers, 
and  five  hundred  and  ninety-three  non-commissioned  ofiih 
cers  and  privates.  Twenty-one  commissioned  officers,  ma- 
ny of  whom  aflerwards  died  of  their  wounds,  andtwohui^ 
dred  and  forty-two  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 
were  wounded. 

The  savage  force  in  this  fatal  engagement  was  led  by  a 
Mississago  chief,  who  had  been  trained  to  war  under  the 
British,  during  the  revolution.  So  superior  was  his  knowl- 
edge of  tactics,  that  the  Indian  chiefs,  though  extremely 
jealous  of  him,  yielded  the  entire  command  to  him ;  and  he 
arranged  and  fought  the  battle  with  great  combination  of 
military  skill.  Their  force  amounted  to  four  thousand, 
and  they  stated  the  Americans  killed,  at  six  hundred  and 
twenty,  and  their  own  at  sixty-five ;  but  it  was  undoubt- 
edly much  greater.  They  took  seven  pieces  of  cannon, 
two  hundred  oxen,  and  many  horses.  The  chief,  at  the 
close  of  the  battle,  bade  the  Indians  forbear  the  pursuit  of 
the  Americans,  as  he  said  they  had  killed  enough. 

General  Scott  with  one  thousand  mounted  volunteers 
from  Kentucky,  soon  afler  marched  against  a  party  of  the 
victors,  at  St.  Claires  fatal  field.  He  found  the  Indians 
rioting  in  their  plunder,  riding  the  oxen  in  the  glee  of  trir 
umph,  and  acting  as  if  the  whole  body  was  intoxicated. 
General  Scott  immediately  attacked  them.  The  contest 
was  short,  but  decisive.  The  Indians  had  two  hundred 
killed  on  the  spot.  The  cannon  and  military  stores  re- 
maining were  retaken,  and  the  savages  completely  routed. 
The  loss  of  the  Kentuckians  was  inconsiderable. 

13* 


v:m 


Wm 


^« 


mm 

1 

^^^i 

'iwi 

^^CTrlitl 

^^^jlf! 

HHii 

1 

138 


INDIAN  WARS 


The  reputation  of  the  government  was  now  committed 
in  the  fortunes  of  the  war.  Three  additional  regiments 
were  directed  to  be  raised.  On  the  motion  in  congress  for 
raising  these  regiments,  there  was  an  animated,  and  even 
a  bitter  debate.  It  was  urged  on  one  hand,  that  the  ex- 
pense of  such  a  force  would  involve  the  necessity  of  severe 
taxation ;  that  too  much  power  was  thrown  into  the  hands  ^ 
of  the  president;  that  the  war  had  been  badly  managed, 
and  ought  to  have  been  entrusted  to  the  militia  of  die  West, 
under  their  own  officers ;  and  with  more  force  they  urged 
that  no  success  could  be  of  any  avail,  so  long  as  the  Brit' 
ish  held  those  posts  within  our  acknowledged  limits,  from 
which  the  savages  were  supplied  with  protection,  shelter, 
arms,  advice,  and  instigation  to  the  war.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  justice  of  the  cause,^  as  a  war  of  defence,  and  not 
of  conquest,  was  unquestionable.  It  was-  proved  that  be- 
tween ITS3  and  1790,  no  less  than  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred people  of  Kentucky  had  been  massacred  by  the  sava- 
ges, or  dragged  into  a  horrid  captivity;  and  that  the  fron- 
tiers of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  had  suffered  a  loss  not 
much  less.  It  was  proved  that  every  effort  had  been  made 
to  pacify  the  savages  without  effect.  They  showed  that  in 
1790,  when  a  treaty  was  proposed  to  the  savages  at  the 
JVIiami,  they  first  refused  to  treat,  and  then  asked  thirty 
days  for  deliberation.  It  was  granted.  In  the  interim, 
they  stated  that  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty  per- 
sons had  been  killed  and  captured,  and  several  prisoners 
roasted  alive ;  at  the  term  of  which  horrors,  they  refused 
any  answer  at  all  to  the  proposition  to  treat.  Various  oth- 
er remarks  were  made  in  defence  of  the  bill.  It  tried  the 
strength  of  parties  in  congress,  and  was  finally  carried. 

General  St.  Clair  resigned,  and  Major  General  Anthony 
Wayne  was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  This  officer  com- 
manded the  confidence  of  the  western  people,  who  confi- 
ded in  that  reckless  bravery,  which  had  long  before  pro- 
cared  him  the  appellation  of 'Mad  Anthony.'  There  was  a 
powerful  party,  who  still  affected  to  consider  this  war  un- 
necessary;.  and  every  impediment  was  placed  in  the  way 
of  its  success,  which  that  party  could  devise.  To  prove  to* 
them  ihat  the  government  was- still  disposed  to  peace,- twa 


numerous  s 


ans  were  a 


or  THE  WEST, 


109 


excellent  officers  and  valuable  men,  Colonel  Hardin  and 
Major  Truman  were  severally  despatched  with  propositions 
of  peace.  They  were  both  murdered  by  the  savages.  These 
unsuccessful  attempts  at  negotiation,  and  the  difficulties  and 
delays  naturally  incident  to  the  preparation  of  such  a  force^ 
together  with  the  attempts  that  had  been  made  in  congress, 
to  render  the  war  unpopular,  had  worn  away  so  much  time 
that  the  season  for  operations  for  the  year  had  almost  elap- 
sed. But  as  soon  as  the  negotiations  had  wholly  failed, 
the  campaign  was  opened  with  as  much  vigor  as  the  na- 
ture of  the  case  would  admit.  The  general  was  able, 
however,  to  do  no  more  this  autumn,  than  to  advance  into 
the  forest  towards  the  country  of  the  savages,  six  miles  in 
advance  effort  Jefferson.  He  took  possession  of  the  ground 
on  which  the  fatal  defeat  of  St.  Clair  had  taken  pl9.ce,  in 
1791.  He  here  erected  a  fortification,  with  the  appropri- 
ate name  of  fort  Recovery.  His  principal  camp  was  call- 
ed Greenville.^  In  Kentucky,  meanwhile,  many  of  the  peo^ 
pie  clamored  against  these  measures,  and  loudly  insisted 
that  the  war  ought  to  be  carried  on  by  militia,  to  be  com^ 
manded  by  an  officer  taken  from  their  state.  It  was  b^ 
lieved,  too,  by  the  executive,  that  the  British  governmenty 
by  retaining  their  posts  within  our  limits,  and  by  various 
other  measures,  at  least  countenanced  the  Indians  in  their 
hostilities.  That  government  took  a  more  decisive  mea^' 
ure  early  in  the  spring.  A  British  detachment  from  De- 
troit advanced  near  fifty  miles  south  of  that  place,  and  for- 
tified themselves  on  the  Miami  of  the  lakes.  In  one  of  the 
numerous  skirmishes  which  took  place  between  the  sava- 
ges and  the  advance  of  General  Wayne,  it  was  affirmed,, 
that  the  British  were  mingled  with  the  Indians. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  General  Wayne  reached  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Au  Glaize,and  the  Miami  of  the  lakes.  The 
richest  and  most  extensive  settlements  of  the  western  Indi^ 
ans  were  at  this  place.  It  was  distant  only  about  thirty 
miles  from  the  post  on  the  Miami,  which  the  British  had 
recently  occupied.  The  whole  strength  of  the  enemy,,  a- 
mounting  to  nearly  two  thousand  warriors,  was  collected^ 
m  the  vicinity  of  that  post.  The  regulars  of  Gen.  Wayne 
were  not  much  inferior  in  numbers.    A  reinforcement  o^ 


P 


;  V  «t 


140 


INDIAN  WARS 


one  thousand  one  hundred  mounted  Kentucky  militia,  com- 
manded by  General  Scott,  gave  a  decided  superiority  to 
the  American  force.  The  general  was  well  aware  that  the 
enemy  were  ready  to  give  him  battle,  and  he  ardently  d^ 
flired  it.  But  in  pursurnce  of  the  settled  policy  of  the  UnW 
ted  States,  another  effort  was  made  for  the  attainment  of 
peace,  without  the  shedding  of  blood.  The  savages  were 
exhorted  by  those  who  were  sent  to  them,  no  longer  to  fol- 
low the  counsels  of  the  bad  men  at  the  toot  of  the  Rapids, 
who  urged  them  on  to  the  war,  but  had  neither  the  power 
nor  the  inclination  to  protect  them;  that  to  listen  to  the 
propositions  of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  would 
restore  them  to  their  homes,  and  rescue  them  from  famine. 
To  ihese  propositions  they  returned  only  an  evasive  ai>> 
iwer. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  the  army  of  General  Wayne 
inarched  in  columns.  A  select  battalion  under  Maj .  Price, 
moved  as  a  reconnoitering  force  in  front.  Afler  marching 
five  miles,  he  received  so  heavy  a  fire  from  the  savages, 
concealed  as  usual,  that  he  was  compelled  to  retreat.  The 
savages  had  chosen  their  ground  with  great  judgment 
They  had  moved  into  a  thick  wood,  in  advance  of  the  BriW 
ish  works,  and  had  taken  a  position  behind  fallen  timber, 
prostrated  by  a  tornado.  This  rendered  their  position  at 
most  inaccessible  to  horse.  They  were  formed  in  three 
r^ular  lines,  according  to  the  Indian  custom,  very  much 
extended  in  front.  Their  first  efibrt  was  to  turn  the  left 
flank  of  the  American  army. 

The  American  legion  was  ordered  to  advance  with  trai> 
led  arms,  and  rouse  the  enemy  from  his  covert  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet,  and  then  deliver  its  fire.  The  cavalry  led 
by  Captain  Campbell,  was  ordered  to  advance  between  the 
Indians  and  the  river,  where  the  wood  admitted  them  to 
penetrate,  and  charge  their  lefl  flank.  General  Scott,  at 
the  head  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  was  commanded  to 
make  a  considerable  circuit  and  turn  their  right.  These, 
and  all  the  complicated  orders  of  General  Wayne,  were 
promptly  executed.  But  such  was  the  impetuosity  of  the 
charge  made  by  the  first  line  of  infantry,  so  entirely  was 
the  enemy  broken  by  it,  and  so  rapid  was  the  pursuit,  that 


OF  THE  WEST. 


141 


only  a  small  part  of  the  second  line,  and  of  the  mounted  ' 
volunteers  could  take  any  part  in  the  action.    In  the  course 
of  an  hour,  the  savages  were  driven  more  than  two  miles, 
and  within  gun  shot  of  the  British  fort. 

General  Wayne  remained  three  days  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, reducing  the  houses  and  corn  fields,  above  and  below 
the  fort,  and  some  of  them  within  pistol  shot  of  if,  to  ashes. 
The  houses  and  stores  of  Colonel  M'Kee,  an  English  tra- 
der, whose  great  influence  among  the  savages  had  been  uni- 
formly exerted  for  the  continuance  of  the  war,  was  burned 
among  the  rest.  Correspondence  on  these  points  took 
place  between  General  Wayne  and  Major  Campbell,  who 
commanded  the  British  fort.  That  of  General  Wavne  was 
sufficiently  firm;  and  it  manifested  that  the  latter  only  a- 
voided  hostilities  with  him,  by  acquiescing  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  British  property  within  the  range  of  his  guns. 

On  the  28th,  *he  army  returned  to  Au  Glaize,  destroy- 
ing all  the  villages  and  corn  within  fifty  miles  of  the  river. 
In  this  decisive  battle,  the  American  loss  in  killed  and 
wounded  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  seven,  including 
officers.  Among  those  that  fell,  were  Captain  Campbell 
and  Lieutenant  Towles.  The  general  bestowed  great  and 
merited  praise  for  their  bravery  and  promptitude  in  this 
affair,  to  all  his  troops.. 

The  hostility  of  the  Indians  still  continuing,^ their  whole 
country  was  laid  waste;  and  forts  were  erected  in  the  heart 
of  their  settlements  to  prevent  Jheir  return.  This  season- 
able victory,  and  this  determined  conduct  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  rescued  them  from  a  general  war  with  all 
the  nations  north-west  of  the  Ohio.  The  Six  Nations  had 
manifested  resentments,  which  were  only  appeased  for  the 
moment,  by  the  suspension  of  a  settlement,  which  Penn- 
sylvania was  making  at  Presqu'  Isle,  within  their  alleged 
limits.  The  issue  of  this  battle  dissipated  the  clouds  at 
once  which  had  been  thickening  in  that  quarter.  Its  influ- 
ence was  undoubtedly  felt  far  to  the  south.  The  Indian 
inhabitants  of  Georgia,  and  still  farther  to  the  south  had  been 
apparently  on  the  Verge  of  a  war,  and  had  been  hardly  re- 
strained from  hostility  by  the  feeble  authority  of  that  state. 


M 


m 


■-  ^\H 


tm 


miA 


142 


INDIAN  WARS 


No  incidents  of  great  importance  occurred  in  this  quar- 
ter, until  August  3d,  of  the  next  yearj  when  a  definitive 
treaty  was  concluded  by  General  Wayne,  with  the  hostile 
Indians  north-west  of  the  Ohio.  By  this  treaty,  the  de- 
structive war  which  had  so  long  desolated  that  frontier, 
was  ended  in  a  manner  acceptable  to  the  United  States. 
An  accommodation  was  also  brought  about  with  the  south- 
ern Indians,  notwithstanding  the  intrigues  of  their  Spanish 
neighbors.  The  regions  of  the  Mississippi  valley  were 
opened  on  all  sides  to  immigration,  and  rescued  from  the 
dread  of  Indian  hostilities. 

The  progress  of  the  great  state  of  Ohio  has  no  parallel 
in  the  history  of  colonies.  No  records  can  be  found  of  e- 
qual  advancement  of  population,  national  wealth,  strength 
and  improvement  of  every  sort,  by  the  unforced  progress 
of  immigration  and  natural  increase.  But  little  more  than 
thirty  years  ago,  it  was  all  possessed  by  ruthless  savages; 
and  we  now  see  cities  and  towns,  more  than  an  hundred 
thousand  militia,  a  million  inhabitants,  two  canals,  the  one 
nearly  seventy,  and  the  other  three  hundred  miles  in  length, 
a  great  number  of  flourishing  villages,  handsome  farm  hou- 
ses, and  every  indication  of  comfort  and  abundance,  and 
the  whole  scene  has  at  first  view  the  aspect  of  fable  and 
enchantment.  We  see  one  respectable  and  rapidly  ad- 
▼ancing  town ;  and  a  mass  of  farmers  spread  over  the  grea- 
ter portion  of  the  surface  of  the  state,  not  rich  in  money, 
but  rich  in  rural  abundance,  in  simplicity  of  manners,  and 
the  materials  of  genuine  independence.  The  people  are 
aa  well  fed  and  clothed,  and  as  contented  and  happy,  pe^ 
haps,  as  the  same  number  of  people  any  where  on  the  globe. 
There  are  schools,  colleges,  manufactories,  national  works 
and  improvements,  of  which  any  state,  or  any  order  of  so> 
ciety,  howsoever  advanced,  might  be  proud.  This  colony, 
which  ha«<  flourished  by  its  own  innate  principle  of  vigor, 
without  factitious  support  fi  om  speculation,  or  any  forcing 
from  opulence  and  power,  still  sees  the  original  trees  stancU 
ing  in  its  fields. 

We  should  be  glad  to  trace  the  origin  and  progress  of 
every  town  and  settlement  in  the  state  from  Marietta,  Cin< 
cinnati,  a  d  Galliopolis,  the  oldest  towns  in  the  country,  to 


OP  THE  WEST. 


148 


the  most  recent  establishment  on  lake  Erie.  It  would  be 
pleasant  to  trace  the  gradual  advance  of  the  settlement 
from  these  central  points  and  the  shores  of  the  Ohio,  along 
the  two  Miamies,  over  the  heights  which  separate  the  wa* 
ters  of  the  Ohio  from  those  of  lake  Erie.  The  history,  al> 
so,  of  the  settlement  of  the  Connecticut  Reserve,  is  an  in- 
teresting one.  We  there  find  a  large  and  compact  settle- 
ment, distinct  from  the  other  divisions  of  the  Ohio  nopula- 
tion,  in  the  equal  dispersion  of  farms  over  the  surface,  in 
the  disposition  to  support  schools  and  public  worship,  ex- 
ceedingly like  the  parent  people  from  whom  they  sprung. 
But  they  who  achieved  these  great  works,  thought  little  of 
transmitting  the  remembrance  of  their  works  to  posterity. 
Their  minds  were  pleasantly  occupied  with  other  views, 
ai)d  those  copious,  exact  and  satisfactory  materials,  necesh 
sary  for  a  detailed  history  of  the  progress  of  Ohio,  will,  pro- 
bably, perish  with  the  living  depositories  of  them.  Many 
of  the  founders  of  this  great  state  still  exist;  but  they  are 
too  intently  occupied,  in  laying  up  the  superstructure  of 
their  recent  establishments,  to  think  of  furnishing  such  ma- 
terials. Besides,  the  details  of  such  a  work  would  fill  vol- 
umes. Neither  our  limits  or  materials  allow  any  more 
than  some  very  abbreviated  sketches. 

'^'he  first  effective  settlement  of  Ohio,  was  by  purchasers 
under  the  *Ohio  Company'  in  1788.  The  writer  of  this 
distinctly  remembers  the  wagon  that  carried  out  a  number 
of  adventurers  from  the  counties  of  Essex  and  Middlesex, 
in  Massachusetts,  on  the  second  emigration  to  the  woods 
of  Ohio.  He  remembers  the  black  canvass  covering  of 
the  wagon ;  the  white  and  large  lettering  in  capitals  *  Tb 
Marietta  on  the  Ohio?  He  remembers  the  food  which 
even  then  the  thought  of  such  a  distant  expedition  furnish- 
ed to  his  imagination.  Some  twenty  emigrants  accompa- 
nied this  wagon.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Manasseh  Cutler,  he 
thinks,  had  the  direction  of  this  band  of  emigrants.  Gen- 
eral Putnam  seems  to  have  been  the  only  one  who  prece- 
ded him  in  claims  to  be  considered  the  patriarch  of  the 
Marietta  settlement.  Dr.  Cutler,  at  the  time  of  his  being 
engaged  in  the  speculation  of  th^  Ohio  Company's  purchase, 
had  a  feud, — it  is  not  remembered  whether  literary,  politi- 


¥:rH 


!?l 


144 


INDIAN  WARS 


cal,  or  religious, — with  the  late  learned  and  eccentric  Dn 
Bently  of  Salem,  Massachusetts.  Dr.  Bcntly  was  then 
chief  contributor  to  a  paper  which  he  afterwards  edited. 
The  writer  still  remembers,  and  can  repeat  doggerel  ver- 
ses by  Dr.  Bontly  upon  the  departure  of  Dr.  Cutler  on  his 
first  trip  to  explore  his  purchase  on  tho  Ohio. 

The  first  travellers  to  explore  Ohio,  availed  themselves 
of  the  full  extent  of  tho  traveller's  privilege  in  regard  to 
the  wonders  of  this  new  land  of  promise,  and  the  unparal- 
leled fertility  of  the  soil.  These  extravagant  representa- 
tions of  the  grandeur  of  the  vegetation,  and  the  fertility  of 
the  land,  at  first  excited  a  great  desire  to  emigrate  to  this 
new  and  wonderful  rcjjion.  But  some  returned  with  dif- 
lerent  accounts,  in  discouragement;  and  the  hostilities  of 
the  savages  were  painted  in  the  most  appalling  colors.  A 
reaction  took  place  in  the  public  mind.  The  wags  of  the 
day  exercised  their  wit,  in  circulating  caricatured  and  ex- 
aggerated editions  of  the  stories  of  the  first  adventurers, 
'that  there  were  springs  of  brandy,  flax,  that  bore  little  pie- 
ces of  cloth  on  the  stems,  enormous  pumpkins  and  melons, 
and  the  like.  Accounts  the  most  horrible  were  added  of 
hoop  snakes  of  such  deadly  malignity  that  a  sting,  which 
they  bore  in  their  tails,  when  it  punctured  the  bark  of  a 
green  tree,  instantly  caused  its  leaves  to  become  sear,  and 
the  tree  to  die.  Stories  of  Indian  massacres  and  barbari- 
ties were  related  in  all  their  horrors.  The  country  was 
admitted  to  be  fertile;  but  was  pronounced  excessively 
sickly,  and  poorly  balancing  by  that  advantage  all  these 
counterpoises  of  sickness,  Indians,  copper  headed  and  hoop 
snakes,  bears,  wolves,  and  panthers. 

The  tendency  of  the  New  England  mind  to  enterprise 
and  emigration,  thus  early  began  to  develope.  For  all 
these  horrors  portrayed  in  all  their  darkness,  and  with  all 
the  dreadful  imaginings  connected  with  the  thought  of  such 
a  remote  and  boundless  wilderness,  did  not  hinder  the  de- 
parture of  great  numbers  of  the  people  following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  General  Putnam  and  Dr.  Cutler.  They  were 
both  men  of  established  character,  whose  words  and  opin- 
ions wrought  confidence.  Dr.  Cutler  was  a  man  of  exten- 
sive and  various  learning.    He  was  particularly  devoted 


iJb»^i 


OF  THE  WEST. 


M5 


to  the  study  of  natural  history;  and  was  among  tho  first 
who  began  scientifically  to  explore  the  botany  of  our  coun- 
try. He  hsid  great  efficiency  in  founding  the  upper  set- 
tlement on  Ohio;  and  his  descendants  are  among  tho  most 
respectable  inhabitants  of  the  country  at  presont. 

General  Rufus  Putnam  had  been  a  reputable  and  un- 
blemished officer  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  lie  emi- 
grated from  Leicester,  in  the  county  of  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts. He  was,  probably,  the  member  of  tho  Ohio 
Company  who  had  the  greatest  influence  in  imparting  con- 
fidence to  emigration  from  New  England  to  Ohio.  When 
he  m9ved  there,  it  was  one  compact  and  boundless  forest. 
He  saw  that  forest  fall  on  all  sides  under  the  axe;  and 
in  tho  progress  of  improvement,  comfortable,  and  then 
large,  commodious  and  splendid  dwellings  rise  around  him. 
He  saw  his  favorite  settlement  sustain  an  inundation  of 
the  Ohio,  which  drowned  the  cattle,  wafted  away  the  dwel- 
lings, and  in  some  instances  the  inhabitants  in  them.  He 
saw  the  settlement  survive  the  accumulated  horrors  of  an 
Indian  war.  He  saw  its  exhaustless  fertility,  and  its  nat- 
ural advantages  triumph  over  all.  He  saw  Marietta  ma- 
king n  mccs  towards  an  union  of  interest  with  the  gulf 
of  M  by  floating  down  to  its  bosom  a  number  of 

sea  vessels,  built  at  that  place.     He  saw  such  a  prodigious 
increase  of  navigation  on  the  Ohio,  as  to  number  an  hundred 
large  boats  passing  his  dwelling  in  a  few  hours.     He  heard 
the  first  tumult  of  steam  boats  as  they  began  to  be  borne 
down  between  the  forests.     He  had  surrounded  his  repub- 
lican mansion  with  orchards  bending  with  fruit.     In  the 
midst  of  rural  abundance  and  endeared  friends,  who  had 
grown  up  around  him,  far  from  the  display  of  wealth,  the 
bustle  of  ambition  and  intrigue,  the  f?ither  of  a  colony, 
hospitable  an  i  kind  without  ostentation  and  without  effort, 
he  displayed  in  these  remote  regions,  the  grandeur,  real 
and  intrinsic,  of  those  immortal  men  who  achieved  our 
revolution.     He  has  passed  away.     But  the  memory  of 
really  great  and  good   man,  like  General  Putnam,  will 
remain  as  long  as  plenty,  independence,  and  comfort,  shall 
prevail  on  the  shores  of  the  Ohio. 
The  next  settlement  in  Ohio,  in  the  order  of  time,  and 

13 


''.  r\ 


146 


INDIAN  WARS 


really  the  most  efficient  and  important  of  all  others,  and 
which  may  be  clearly  considered  the  nucleus  of  the  pop- 
ulation, was  that  between  the  two  Miamies.  Of  this  set- 
tlement Judge  Symmes  may  fairly  be  considered  the  foun- 
der. Ho  was  a  civilian,  a  lawyer,  and  an  inhabitant  of 
New  Jersey.  He  v.as  a  member  of  congress  when  he 
first  contcnif  lated  the  idea  of  emigrating  to  the  western 
country.  He  was  the  representative  and  agent*  of  the 
company  whi'^h  made  the  first  purchase  between  the  two 
Miamies.  It  comprehended  a  miifion  of  acres.  He  was 
afterwards  a  judge  under  the  territorial  government.  His 
name  is  identified  with  all  the  subsequent  sales,  locations, 
establishments  of  the  sites  of  toWns,  and  similar  trpisac- 
tions,  until  Ohio  became  a  state.  Had  his  speculation 
been  followed  with  the  success  which  ought  to  have  re- 
sulted from  the  foresight  with  which  it  was  made,  and  the 
vigor  with  vvhich  it  was  carried  into  effect,  it  must  have 
secured  an  immense  fortune  for  his  posterity.  But  the  is- 
sues of  such  great  and  combined  operations  are  often  de- 
termined by  clemenls,  beyond  the  reach  of  human  fore- 
sight. Clear  as  his  vision  was  into  the  future,  he  little 
foresaw  the  future  value  and  conseq nonce  of  these  lands. 
Purchasers,  w  ilh  a  kon  still  more  limited,  had  not  the  cour- 
age nor  forecast  to  make  him  sufficient  payments  to  meet 
the  great  expenses  of  his  speculations.  Ho  was  unques- 
tionably fitted  in  a  high  degree  to  become  the  foster  father 
to  a  new  colony.  He  ]tossessed  a  sound  understanding, 
great  firmricss  of  purpose,  and  was  a  man  of  industrious 
habits,  and  devoted  to  business ;  and  had  not  the  slightest 
touch  of  the  hunter  and  courcvr  du  hois,  which  so  strongly 
marked  the  first  settlers  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  in 
his  character.  He  was  a  zealous  patron  of  the  industri- 
ous and  enterp'ising;  and  all  that  was  necessary  to  secure 
tlie  countenance  and  support  of  Judge  Symmes,  was  to 
convince  him  that  the  man  was  sober,  'ndustrious,  and  dis- 
posed to  exert  himself.  It  was  an  honorable  trait  in  his 
■character,  that  he  was  a  real  and  eflicient  friend  of  the 
poor.  Many  amiable  eccentricities  belonged  to  his  cha- 
racter; f.nd  among  other  traits  that  might  seem  most  for- 
eign to  his  industrious,  calculating,  and  municipal  habits, 


was,  that 
proofs,  a! 
names  of 
ami  count 
Amonor  tl: 
settlers,  a 
early  dec< 
Kxplori 
north  sho] 
any  permi 
scending  t 
which  ma 
which  we  ] 
We  read  o; 
as  related 
in  a  boat,  w 
upon  by  th 
and  the  r< 
miles  from 
blood,  expo; 
able  to  trav 
the  river  to 
ried  off  his 
narrative  of 
rowing  intc 
was  wantini 
impressive 
man  can  sul 
of  these  def 
and  recovei 
terly  hopeh 
the  palliatij 
however  iij 
plan  excludj 
the  first  perj 
This  coi. 
General  Rl 
The  compaJ 
and  were 
necticut. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


147 


was,  that  he  was  a  writer  of  versesj  of  which  very  copious 
proofs,  as  well  as  honorable  to  his  muse,  remain.  The 
names  of  his  chief  associcites  in  the  settlement  of  the  Mi- 
ami country  will  naturally  be  interwoven  in  these  annals. 
Among  them  was  Colonel  Israel  Ludlow,  one  of  the  fir'  i 
settlers,  a  man  of  great  amiability  of  character,  and  whose 
early  decease  was  considered  a  deep  loss  to  the  country. 

Exploring  parties  had  made  tempomry  residences  on  the 
north  shore  of  die  Ohio,  previous  to  the  establishment  of 
any  permanent  settlement,  and  boats,  ascending  and  de- 
scending the  river,  had  had  rencontres  with  the  Indians,  in 
which  many  of  those  thrilling  and  terrible  adventures, 
which  we  have  already  related  to  repetition,  were  common. 
We  read  of  the  occurrence  of  one  in  the  autumn  of  1776, 
as  related  by  Mr.  Patterson,  who  v.  as  ascending'the  Ohio 
in  a  boat,  with  six  or  seven  companions,  and  who  was  fired 
upon  by  the  Indians.  A  pai  t  of  the  company  were  killed, 
and  the  remainder  wounded.  They  were  an  hundred 
miles  from  settlements  or  relief,  lying  in  their  wounds  and 
blood,  exposed  to  the  rain  ani  elements.  One  only  was 
able  to  travel,  and  he  was?  wounded.  He  proceeded  up 
the  river  to  the  nearest  settlement,  procured  help,  and  car- 
ried off  his  wounded  companions,  who  recovered.  The 
narrative  of  the  suffe.ings  of  this  company  i>s  one  of  har- 
rowing interest.  Noihing  that  human  nature  can  suffer 
was  wanting  to  their  misery;  and  their  case  furnishes  an 
impressive  proof,  through  how  much  misery  and  suftering 
man  can  survive.  We  could  easily  fill  up  copious  annals 
of  these  desperate  rencontres,  and  hair  breadth  escapes, 
and  recoveries  from  wounds,  which  would  be  deemed  ut- 
terly hopeless  in  the  view  of  the  best  surgical  aid,  and  all 
the  palliations  of  the  comfort  and  aid  of  society.  But, 
however  impressive  these  narratives,  the  brevity  of  our 
plan  excludes  them,  and  we  commence  these  annals  with 
the  first  permanent  settlement  of  Ohio. 

This  commenced  at  Marietta,  April  7th,  1788,  under 
General  Rufus  Putnam,  as  agent  for  the  Ohio  Company. 
The  company  that  came  with  him  consisted  of  47  persons, 
and  were  from  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Con- 
necticut.   Their  first  business  was  to  build  a  stockg,de  fort 


148 


INDIAN  WARS 


of  sufficient  strength  to  secure  them  against  any  desultory 
attacks  of  the  savages.  These  were  all  laborious  men, 
who  thought  much  more  of  the  plough  and  hoe  than  the 
rifle  and  game.  They  were  delighted  with  the  appearance 
of  the  rich  alluvion,  and  the  immense  trees  and  grape  vines 
that  rose  from  it;  and  treated  themselves  to  the  jests  which 
had  been  circulated  in  their  native  regions,  respecting 
pumpkin  vines  that  ran  across  the  Ohio,  and  bore  pumpkins 
of  a  Mzeto  furnish  space  in  which  sows  might  litter.  The 
exuberant  grandeur  of  the  wild  vegetation  might  well  jus- 
tify extravagant  expectations  from  the  fertility  of  the  soil. 
They  deadened  the  trees,  and  planted  fifty  acres  of  corn. 
In  the  autumn  twenty  nfiore  families  joined  them.  They 
wore  chiefly  revolutionary  soldiers,  who  had  been  used  to 
face  dangers  and  hardships  of  all  sorts,  and  to  give  and 
receive  blows.  Their  vigilance  and  boldness  of  counte- 
nance appear  to  have  awed  the  Indians,  so  that  they  mo- 
lested them  very  little.  While  these  prudent  and  laborious 
men  tilled  their  grounds,  they  had  always  some  one  of 
their  number  stationed  upon  a  high  stump,  or  elevated 
point  of  ground,  to  forewarn  them  of  the  approach  of  the 
foe.  Game  of  all  sorts  abounded  in  the  woods,  and  fish 
in  the  rivers.  The  fields  yielded  the  most  ample  abun- 
dance of  return  for  whate\  er  they  had  planted  f  so  that 
abundant  subsistence  was  obtained  with  the  greatest  ease. 

Six  years  afterwards,  in  1794,  the  settlements  of  Belle- 
pre  and  Newbury,  the  one  fifteen  miles,  and  the  other 
twenty  miles  below,  on  the  river,  were  commenced.  In 
each  of  these  places  stockade  forts,  to  which  the  people 
could  retreat  in  case  of  alarm  from  the  savages,  were  built, 
according  to  the  invariable  custom  in  all  the  new  western 
settlements.  The  strongest  of  these  received  the  appro- 
priate name  of  the  '  Farmer's  Castle.* 

In  1701,  Indian  hostilities  commenced  upon  these  set- 
tlemeiits.  The  Ohio  Company  organized,  and  kept  in  con- 
stant em[)loympnt,  a  small  company  of  spies,  whose  duty 
it  was  to  perambulate  the  settlement.  When  these  rangers 
discovered  footsteps,  or  other  indications  of  the  contiguity 
of  the  savages,  they  were  to  give  verbal  notice;  or  if  the 
omergency  of  alarm  was  urgent,  to  fire  signal  guns.    On 


OF  THE  WEST. 


149 


receiving  these  signals,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  settlers  im- 
mediately to  retreat  to  their  stockades,  and  the  soldiers  to 
repair  to  their  post  of  defence.  The  unsleeping  and  un- 
tiring vigilance  of  these  settlers  did  not  at  all  mutch  with 
Indian  notions  of  attack,  who  always  seize  the  moments 
of  carelessness  and  the  unguarded  point  of  weakness  for 
the  hour  of  assault.  That  this  settlement  suffered  so  much 
less  than  those  that  preceded  it,  under  the  same  circum- 
stances, in  the  western  country,  may  be  solely  attributed 
to  that  habitual  watchfulness  and  unremitting  posture  of 
defence. 

Between  1791  and  1795,  Major  Goodall,  a  most  valua- 
ble member  of  the  settlement,  and  three  others  were  killed. 
To  have  right  estimates  of  this  comparatively  small 
amount  of  suffering  from  Indian  warfare,  ii  must  be  re- 
membered, that  this  settlement  stoi  d  alone  on  the  north 
shore  of  the  Ohio;  was  a  frontier  to  the  most  nuh  erous 
and  powerful  Indian  villages  in  the  western  courtr  \  and 
the  object  of  their  bitterest  enmity  and  most  concentered 
efforts.  In  addition  to  the  men,  mentioned  above,  one  wo- 
man and  her  two  children  were  slain.  Another  infant  in 
her  arms  was  tomahawked,  but  was  rescued  by  the  in- 
habitants, and  recovered  from  its  wounds. 

In  1790,  a  settlement  was  commenced  at  the  forks  of 
Duck  creek,  twenty  miles  up  the  Muskingum,  at  the  site 
of  the  present  town  of  Waterford;  and  onother  fiftec 
miles  higher  on  the  same  river  at  Big  Bottom,  and  a  thiru 
at  Wolf  creek,  near  the  forks.  These  settlements  were 
on  a  tract  of  one  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land,  laid  off 
into  farms  of  one  hundred  acres  each,  called  '  donation  lots,' 
which  were  gratuitously  assigned  to  actual  settlers.  At 
the  cloi5e  of  1790,  these  settlements  contained  447  men, 
of  whom  107  had  families ;  a  striking  demonstration  of 
the  rapid  increase  of  population  even  amidst  the  dangers 
of  an  Indian  war. 

The  settlement  at  Big  Bottom  was  destroyed  by  the  In- 
dians, January  2d,  1791 .  Fourteen  persons  were  killed,, 
and  five  taken  prisoners.  This  fatal  assault  was  made  by 
the  Indians  with  their  usual  guile  and  treachery.  They 
had  kept  up  a  show  of  frankness  and  friendship  towards 

la* 


■"if 


150 


IKDIAN  WARS 


these  people,  which  had  lulled  them  to  a  ruinous  security, 
Unperceived  by  the  people,  the  Indians  watched  the  settle- 
ment from  the  summit  of  an  adjacent  hiii.  The  inhabi- 
tants were  returning  from  their  labors  at  evening  twilight 
to  their  supper.  The  Indians,  preceded  by  a  huge  Mo- 
hawk, rushed  in  upon  the  garrison  and  inflicted  an  unre- 
sisted massacre.  One  woman  onlv  contended,  and  she 
inflicted  a  wonnd  upon  the  Mohawk,  before  she  was  killed. 
A  boy  was  spared,  and  carried  captive  to  Detroit. 

The  settlement  at  Wolf  creek  was  warned  of  its  impen- 
ding danger  by  two  men  of  the  name  of  Bullard,  who 
escaped  from  the  massacre  of  Big  Bottom.  Next  morning 
the  Indians  arrived  to  the  assault  of  this  place;  but  finding 
the  inhabitants  apprised  of  their  attack,  and  in  readiness  for 
them,  they  decamped  A^ithout  any  serious  attempts  upon 
it.  Some  murders  were  committed  at  Waterford  and  Lit- 
tle Wolf  creek,  in  1794,  and  1795..  Although  Marietta, 
from  its  vigilance  and  preparation,  was  considered  by  the 
savages  impregnable,  the-  cows  of  the  settlement  often 
came  in  with  arrows  sticking  in  their  bodies,  as  proofs  of 
the  good  will  of  the  Indians  to  injure  them,  were  it  in  their 
power. 

The  escape  of  the  late  R.  J.  IMeigs,  Esq.  afterwards 
governor  of  Ohio,  and  Postmaster  General,  from  various 
circumstances,  merits  a  relation.  He  was  returning  at 
night  from  the  labors  of  the  field,  in  company  with  Mr, 
Symonds  and  a  black  boy.  The  Indians  fired  upon  Sy- 
monds  and  wounded  him.  He  escaped  them  by  reaching 
the  river  and  swimming.  The  black  boy  was  scalped. 
An  Indian,  armed  only  with  a  tomahawk,  motioned  Mr. 
Meigs  to  surrender.  Instead  of  surrendering,  he  advan- 
ced upon  the  savage  with  his  gun  presented,  bui  which 
happened  not  to  be  loaded.  As  they  came  in  contact,  the 
one  struck  with  his  gun  and  the  other  with  his  tomahawk. 
Mr.  Meigs  was  stunned  by  thebl(»w;  but  recovering,  he 
fled  from  the  Indian,  who  pursued  without  being  able  to 
overtake  him.  Seeing  his  victim  like  to  escape  him,  he 
fired  his  tomahawk  upon  him,  which  nanrowly  missed  hia 
head.  The  Indian  raised  his  customary  war  cry,  and  gave 
up  the  pursuit.. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


151 


In  all  this  time  the  people  of  this  settlement  were  not 
known  to  have  killed  but  two  Indians.  One  had  mounted 
on  the  roof  of  a  cabin,  in  an  abandoned  settlement  at  Duck 
creek.  With  the  customnry  disposition-  to  pry  into  tho 
concerns  of  the  whites,  he  was  looking  down  the  large 
wooden  chimney.  Some  spies  happened  to  have  occupied 
the  cabin  for  the  night.  They  discovered  him,  and  killed- 
him  on  his  perch.  The  spies  had  a  shot  at  another  Indian 
in  company,  who  was  amusing  himself  in  turning  a  large, 
grindstone;  but  he  escaped.  The  other  was  killed  by  one 
of  the  spies  on  the  Little  Muskingum.  At  this  period  the. 
country  contiguous  to  this  settlement  abounded  wilh  game, 
such  as  buffaloe,  deer,  and  wild  turkeys.  The  deer  were 
killed  for  their  hides  and  tallow,  and  the  turkeys  afforded  a 
game  too  common  to  be  prized  as  a  luxury. 

We  return  from  these  annals  of  the  first  settlement  in 
Ohio,  in  the  order  of  time,  to  contemplate  the  progress  of 
that  between  the  two  Miamies,the  first  in  the  order  of  im- 
portance. This  country  was  explored  by  Colonel  Bowman, 
in  1779,  at  the  head  of  ninety  men,  marching  against 
the  Indian  village  at  Little  Pickawav.  The  town  was 
destroyed;  but  the  returning  party  suffered  severely  from 
the  Indians,  and  lost  ten  of  their  number.  He  gained, 
however,  an  accurate  knowledge- of  this  fertile  and  inter- 
esting country,  and  the  position*  and  force  of  the  Indian 
towns  contiguous  to  it. 

Between  the  years  1780  and  1762,  General  Clark  con- 
ducted a  larger  force  ngainst  the  Indians  of  that  region, 
in  which  Old  and  New  Pickaway  villages  were  burned^,. 
In  1784,  our  government  effected  a  treaty  with  them,  in 
which,  by  certain  mutual  stipulations,  they  ceded  to  the 
United  Staivs  the  country  lying  upon  the  Muskingum, 
Scioto,  and  Little  and  Great  Miami, 

The  'Ohio  Company'  was  organized  at  Boston,  March 
1st,  178t5.  It  was  composed  of  revolutionary  officers  and 
soldiers,  to  whom  Congress  assigned  a  military  grant  of 
land  north-west  of  the  Ohio.  The  grant  consisted  of  a 
million  and  a  half  of  acres.  General  Putnam  made  the 
settlement,  which  we  have  just  been  contemplating,  under 
&is  grant;  and  this  was  the  germ  from  which  has  growor. 


m 


INDIAN  WARS 


up  this  great  and  populous  community.  In  1788,  congress 
passed  an  ordinance,  establishing  a  territorial  government 
over  the  North-western  Territory.  Arthur  St.  Clair  was 
appointed  Governor.  In  September,  1788,  the  first  judi- 
cial court  was  holden  in  the  territory.  The  first  political 
object  with  the  governor  was  to  establish  a  peace  with  the 
various  hostile  tribes,  contiguous  to  the  territory.  The 
chiefs  met  at  fort  Harmar,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Muskin" 
gum,  and  agreed  upon  a  former  treaty,  which  had  been 
settled  at  fort  M'Intosh,  in  1785,  and  which  was  now  re- 
newed in  1790. 

In  the  winter  of  1786,  Mr.  Stites,  of  Redstone,  now 
Brownsville,  on  the  Monongahela,  presented  himself  be- 
fore congress,  then  sitting  in  New  York,  with  a  view  to 
purchase  a  tract  of  country  for  settlement  between  the  two 
Miamies.  Ho  was  introduced  to  John  Cleves  Symmes, 
then  a  member  of  congress,  whose  aid  he  solicited,  in  or- 
der to  enable  him  to  make  the  purchase  in  question.  Mr. 
Symmes  was  so  much  impressed  with  the  project,  as  to 
make  a  journey  to  the  country,  wisely  thinking  it  best  to 
judge  of  the  country  by  personal  inspection.  He  journey- 
ed to  the  Ohio,  and  descended  it  to  Louisville.  He  was 
pleased  with  the  country,  and  on  his  retura,  a  purchase  of 
one  million  of  acres  lying  on  the  Ohio,  and  between  the 
two  Miamies,  was  made  in  his  name. 

Mr.  Symmes  soon  afterwards  sold  to  Matthias  Denman 
that  part  of  his  purchase  which  now  forms  the  site  of  Cin- 
cinnati. The  first  settlers  were  from  New  York  and  New 
Jersey.  Mr.  Stites  added  several  families  from  Redstone. 
Mr.  Filson,  in  exploring  the  country,  was  killed  by  the 
Indians.  Lieutenant  Kersey  and  Ensign  Luse,  with  near- 
ly forty  soldiers,  were  ordered  to  join  Mr.  Symmes'  party, 
as  a  corps  of  defence  for  the  contemplated  settlement. 
Major  Stites,  with  the  necessary  preparation  for  commen- 
cing a  settlement,  descended  to  the  mouth  of  the  little 
Miami.  In  November  16th,  1789,  they  commenced  to  the 
number  of  twenty-six,  the  erection  of  a  block  house  on  the 
position  where  Columbia  is  now  situated.  With  the  re- 
quisite precaution  against  the  Indians,  a  part  stood  guard, 
while  the  rest  labored  in  the  erection  of  the  block  house. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


18»  I 


A  square  stockade  fort  was  soon  after  formed  by  the  erec- 
tion of  threw  other  block  houses.  This  was  the  germ  of 
the  second  settlement  in  Ohio,  and  the  first  between  the 
two  Miamies.  Mr.  Symmes  soon  after  joined  them  with 
a  small  sergeant's  guard  of  six  soldiers,  and  they  erected 
a  small  block  house  below  those  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Miami. 

About  the  commencement  of  the  year  17C0,  Israel  Lud- 
low, who,  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Filson,  became  a  joint 
partner  with  Mr.  Denman  and  Patterson  of  the  site  of  Cin- 
cinnati, left  Limestone  with  a  company  of  nearly  twenty 
persons,  to  commence  the  settlement  of  their  purchase. 
The  town  was  first  named  Losantiville.  As  town  making 
became  af'erwards,  in  the  progress  of  the  western  coun- 
try in  population,  a  regular  business,  and  the  invention 
and  coining  of  names  for  towns  no  mean  study,  it  will  be 
amusing  to  consider  the  ingenuity  of  this  far  fetched  name. 
The  town  was  commenced  opposite  Licking  river  in  Ken- 
tucky. The  name  of  the  town  took  the  initial  of  that 
river  for  its  first  letter.  It  borrowed  os,  the  mouth,  from 
the  Latin;  antif  opposite,  from  the  Greek,  and  vUhf  a  city^ 
from  the  French.  Hence  we  have  Losantiville,  a  city 
opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking.  In  a  newspaper  printed 
at  Lexington  in  Kentucky,  the  tyi>e,  appearance,  and 
printing  of  which  smacks  strongly  of  the  simplicity  and 
coarseness  of  the  olden  time,  is  now  to  be  seen  the  origin- 
al advertisement  of  the  sale  of  the  lots  in  this  city,  then 
covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber.  'I'he  newspa- 
per is  shown  as  a  curiosity  in  Mr.  Letton's  museum  in 
Cincinnati.  Mr.  Ludlow  on  his  arrival  with  his  party 
commenced  clearing  near  the  present  corner  of  Front  and 
Main  streets.  Three  or  four  log  cabins  were  built  on 
what  is  now  Main  street.  Mr.  Ludlow  surveyed  and  laid 
out  the  town  during  the  winter.  The  courses  of  the 
streets  were  marked  on  the  trees  of  the  heavy  and  dense 
forest.  The  abundance  of  game  and  fish  left  little  diffi- 
culty of  subsistence,  and  even  the  Indians,  though  hostile^ 
did  not  annoy  them. 

Mr.  Symmes,  with  the  small  force  at  his  disposal,  in 
February,  1789,  descended  the  river  fifteen  miles  to  Nocth 


!  b 


1 

mi 

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\ 


154 


INDIAN  WARS 


Bend,  which  he  deemed  the  best  situation  for  a  town.  But 
neither  that  place,  nor  Columbia,  above  Cincinnati,  have 
yet  reached  the  size  of  even  considerable  villages;  a  clear 
proof  that  the  wisest  human  foresight  sometimes  falls 
short  in  such  calculations.  In  the  following  spring,  Indian 
hostility  manifested  itself  in  the  customary  way  of  annoy- 
ance to  the  incipient  settlements,  by  stealing  horses,  kill- 
ing the  cattle,  and  murdering  the  inhabitants.  Several 
persons  of  a  surveying  party,  and  five  or  six  soldiers  were 
killed. 

June  1st,  1780,  Major  Doughty  arrived  at  Losantiville 
with  one  hundred  and  forty  men,  who  built  four  block 
houses  opposite  tho  mouth  of  Licking.  On  a  lot  of  fifteen 
acres,  sloping  from  the  upper  bank  to  the  river,  a  little 
east  of  the  present  position  of  Broadway,  was  erected 
fort  Washington.  At  the  close  of  1780,  General  Harmar 
arrived  with  three  hundred  men,  and  took  command  of  the 
fort,  preparatory  to  his  expedition  against  the  hostile  In- 
dians. The  population,  besides  the  soldiers,  consisted  of 
eleven  families  and  twenty-four  unmarried  men.  They 
inhabited  20  small  log  cabins,  chiefly  on  the  lower  bank. 
But  a  very  small  part  of  the  present  area  of  the  town  was 
cleared;  nor  were  the  logs  removed  for  some  years  after- 
wards. Darius  Orcutt  and  Miss  M'Henry,  and  Daniel 
Shoemaker  and  Miss  Alice  Ross  were  the  first  couples  le- 
gally married  in  Losantiville,  and  the  first  child  born,  in 
what  is  now  called  Cincinnati,  was  John  Cummins.  Co- 
lumbia still  exceeded  this  place  in  population.  The  in- 
habitants at  that  place  had  the  advantage  of  tilling  fields, 
which  had  been  made  by  the  Indians,  and  so  productive 
were  these  fields  in  maize,  that  captain  Benjamin  Davis 
measured  one  hundred  and  fourteen  bushels  of  corn  from 
a  single  acre. 

In  January,  1790,  governor  St.  Clair  and  the  judges  of 
the  supreme  court  descended  to  Losantiville,  where  the 
first  judicial  court  was  organized  in  the  Miami  country. 
The  governor,  in  ^honor  of  the  military  society  of  Cin- 
cinnati, changed  the  name  of  Losantiville  to  its  present 
name.  In  the  following  spring,  Mr.  Dunlap  and  associates 
laid  out  the  station  of  Colerain  on  the  Great  Miami,  seven- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


155 


teen  miles  north-west  of  Cincinnati,  and  Ludlow's,  Gar- 
rard's, Covall's,  VVhite's,  and  Round  Bottom  stations  wtre 
commenced.  At  each  of  these  points  general  Harmur 
stationed  a  small  number  of  regulars  for  defence;  aad 
whoever  rashly  ventured  beyond  this  "tine  of  defence  was 
exposed  to  be  murdered,  or  at  least  to  receive  ashot  from 
the  hostile  Indians,  who  were  constantly  prowling  round. 

Forty  families  were  added  to  Cinciimati  this  year.  As 
many  cabins  and  the  first  two  frame  houses  were  erected. 
Seven  mechanics  were  numbered  among  the  inhabitants. 
Fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  new  settlers  were  murdered  by 
the  Indians,  and  Mr.  Spencer,  at  present  a  distinguished 
citizen  of  the  place,  then  a  boy,  was  carried  into  captivity. 
On  the  application  of  his  father,  he  was  ransomed  by  the 
governor  of  Upper  Canada,  for  the  sum  cf  one  hundred 
and  twenty  dollars.  The  issue  of  the  unfortunate  cam- 
paign of  general  Harmar,  which  took  place  about  this 
time,  has  been  related  in  another  place. 

Twenty  acres  were  planted  with  corn  in  different  parts 
of  town.  The  grinding  was  with  hand  mills.  Flour  and 
bacon,  now  in  such  abundance,  were  then  imported  from 
the  older  settlements.  The  tables  were  of  split  plankg, 
and  the  dishes  were  of  wood.  The  men  wore  hunting  shirts 
of  domestic  fabric.  This  dress  was  bound  with  a  belt,  or 
a  girdle,  in  which  were  a  knife  and  a  tomahawk.  The 
lower  part  of  this  dress  was  deer  skin,  and  after  the  In- 
dian fashion;  in  fact  the  dress  of  the  backwoods  people  in 
IlHnois  and  Missouri  at  the  present  day.  The  women,  too, 
were  as  yet  content  with  dresses  of  their  own  fabric.  The 
old  inhabitants  at  times,  who  still  survive,  look  back  from 
the  squares  and  streets,  the  opulence,  pride,  coldness,  and 
competition  of  the  present  day,  to  those  primitive  times  of 
log  cabins,  love,  amity,  and  affection,  cemented  by  com- 
mon wants  and  dangers,  as  the  golden  age  of  Cincinnati, 

January  8th,  1791,  a  party  of  four  persons,  who  were 
exploring  the  country  west  of  the  Great  Miami,  were  at- 
tacked by  the  Indians.  One  was  killed,  one  taken,  and 
the  other  two  escaped  to  Colerain  station.  The  station 
consisted  of  fourteen  inhabitants,  and  was  defended  by 
eighteen  soldiers.    Two  days  after  the  attack  upon  the 


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p|||£ 

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1&6 


INDIAN  WARS 


exploring  party,  the  Indians  came  upon  this  station  to  the 
number  of  three  hundred.  They  demanded  a  surrender, 
which  was  met  by  a  prompt  refusal.  A  fire  was  instantly 
commenced  from  the  garrison,  and  returned  by  the  Indians. 
An  express  was  sent  to  Cincinnati  for  a  reinforcement, 
and  sixty-three  soldiers  arrived  next  morning.  But  the 
Indians  had  decamped  before  their  arrival.  During  the 
attack,  lead  failed  for  bullets.  The  women  of  the  garri- 
son suppliod  the  deficiency,  by  melting  their  pewter  vessels 
and  moulding  balls.  Near  the  garrison  was  found  the 
body  of  a  prisoner,  whom  the  ludians  had  slain  in  the  dis- 
appointment of  their  defeat.  He  appeared  to  have  been 
horribly  mangled,  and  to  have  expired  from  the  consuming 
fire  of  a  burning  brand  applied  to  his  bowels. 

An  instance  of  the  keenness  of  Indian  ingenuity,  in  the 
invention  of  original  modes  of  torture  is  given  at  this  tima. 
The  Indians  captured  a  young  man  of  the  name  of  Moses 
Hewitt,  who  lived  on  the  Little  Hockhocking,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Marietta  settlement.  He  was  remarkable 
for  the  suppleness  of  his  limba,  and  the  swiftness  of  his 
The  Indians  tested,  him  with  their  champion 


runnmg. 


racers,  and,  although  he  could  not  have  run  with  much 
spirit,  under  his  depressing  circumstances,  he  easily  van- 
quished them  all  in  swiftness.  They  aft'ected  to  be  pleas- 
ed, but  their  envy  was  piqued.  They  were  destitute  of 
provisions,  and  wished  to  secure  their  swift-footed  prison- 
er, while  they  were  occupied  in  their  hunt.  With  this 
view,  and  probably  to  torture  him  at  the  same  time,  they 
fastened  his  wrists  by  crossing  them,  and  binding  them 
firmly  with  a  cord.  They  then  tied  his  arms  to  a  stake,  so 
as  partly  to  raise  the  upper  part  of  his  body.  They  fasten- 
ed his  legs  in  the  same  way,  and  partly  cut  off  a  young 
sapling,  bending  it  down,  so  that  the  weight  of  the  lower 
part  of  his  body  would  be  a  counterpoise  to  the  elastic 
force  of  the  curved  tree.  Thus  was  he  partially  raised  by 
his  hands  and  feet,  in  a  way  most  horribly  painful;  and 
yet  in  a  position  where  death  would  be  slow  in  arriving  to 
his  release.  It  was  like  the  torture  of  killing  by  dropping 
water  on  the  head.  Fortunately  the  young  man  had  re- 
markably slendep  wrist  bones.    When  left  alone  to  medi- 


OP  THE  WEST. 


157 


lity,  in  the 
this  tima. 
I  of  Moses 
md  was  a 
3markable 
ess  of  his 
champion 
with  much 
islly  van- 
o  be  pleas- 
estitute  of 
tedprison- 

With  this 
time,  they 
ding  them 
a  stake,  so 
ley  fasten- 
iff  a  young 

the  lower 

the  elastic 
T  raised  by 

inful;  and 
arriving  to 
dropping 
an  had  re- 
le  to  medi- 


tate upon  his  terrible  situation,  he  contrived,  not  without 
disengaging  the  skin  and  flesh  from  his  wrists,  to  disentan- 
gle his  arms  from  their  manacles  and  Anally  his  legs. 
He  picked  up  a  little  of  the  scraps  oi  jerked  meat,  which 
the  Indians  had  left.  To  baffle  their  pursuit  and  that  of 
their  dogs, he  ran  on  the  bodies  of  fallen  trees,  and  mean- 
dered his  course  in  every  direction.  Such  was  the  adroit- 
ness of  his  management,  that  he  put  them  completely  at 
fault,  escaped  them,  and  came  in  to  the  settlement  of  Ma- 
rietta, wounded,  his  flesh  torn  and  mangled,  and  emaciated 
to  a  skeleton — a  living  proof  how  much  man  can  survive 
before  he  suflers  the  mortal  pang.  He  had  been  absent 
fourteen  days. 

In  the  disastrous  campaign  of  General  St.  Clair,  the 
issue  of  which  has  been  related  in  another  place,  a  great 
number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cincinnati  were  killed.  The 
event  of  the  campaign  had  a  discouraging  efiect  upon  the 
fortunes  of  the  settlement.  Several  of  the  inhabitants 
removed  to  Kentucky  for  greater  security  from  savage 
assault.  So  fresh  was  the  settlement,  that  the  establish- 
ment of  a  horse  mill,  for  grinding,  is  recorded  as  an  era 
in  its  history. 

But  notwithstanding  the  fury  and  disastrous  character 
of  the  Indian  war,  between  forty  and  fifty  immigrants  ar- 
rived at  Cincinnati,  in  1792.  A  Presbyterian  church  was 
built,  not  far  from  the  site  of  the  present  First  Presbyterian 
church.  It  was  occupied  by  the  congregation  of  the  Rev. 
James  Kemper.  The  first  school  was  opened  this  year 
in  town,  and  consisted  of  thirty  scholars.  The  next  year, 
1793,  was  distinguished  by  the  prevalence  of  small  pox 
among  the  soldiers  an  J  inhabitants  of  Cincinnati,  which 
swept  off"  nearly  a  third  of  their  number,  ^he  glorious 
campaign  of  General  Wayne  succeeded;  the  events  of 
which  we  have  already  narrated.  The  severe  chastise- 
ment which  the  Indians  received  in  this  campaign,  inspi- 
red them  with  sincere  dispositions  for  peace.  An  end 
was  put  to  their  unprovoked  and  sanguinary  hnstility,  by 
the  treaty  of  Fort  Greenville,  signed  August  3d,  1795. 
It  may  be  imagined  with  what  joy  this  event  was  hailed 
by  all  the  dwellers  in  the  Ohio  valley.     Now,  that  they 

14 


P 


158 


INDIAN  WARS 


H, 


considered  the  dangers  of  savage  assault  or  ambush  at  an 
end,  they  issued  forth  from  their  straightened  and  uncom- 
fortable positions,  in  their  forts  and  block  hojine^,  selected 
the  spots  of  their  choice,  and  the  blows  of  the  axe,  and  the 
baying  dogs  of  the  settlers  begun  to  echo  through  the 
forest.  As  soon  as  the  news  of  peace  and  security  pafised 
the  mountains  to  the  Atlantic  country,  the  fame  of  the 
western  country  for  fertility  revived  the  natural  propeiisity 
of  the  American  people  to  wander.  On  all  the  great 
roads  to  the  western  country,  flocks  of  emigrants  were 
seen  directing  their  course  to  cross  the  Alleghanies.  From 
the  Alleghany  and  the  Monongahela,  boats  crowded  with 
adventurers  were  still  floating  down.  Connecticut  Re- 
serve was  rapidly  filled  with  people,  chiefly  from  Connec- 
ticut. The  settlements  broadened  and  diverged  from  the 
Marietta  settlement  on  the  one  hand,  and  Cincinnati  on 
the  other,  gradually  advancing  from  the  shores  of  the 
Ohio  towards  the  height  of  land  between  the  waters  of 
the  Ohio  and  the  lakes.  The  extraordinary  fertility  of  the 
country  on  the  Scioto  caused  the  banks  of  that  river  early 
to  be  settled  with  a  compact  population.  The  country  on 
the  Great  Miami,  from  Dayton  along  the  cour&es  of  Mad 
River,  soon  became  populous.  The  extent  of  the  immi- 
gration could  only  be  imagined  by  the  innkeepers  who 
lived  on  the  great  roads  to  the  western  country,  or  by  the 
agents  of  the  land  office,  or  by  the  astonishing  results  of 
a  census.  For  the  rest,  the  settlers  quietly  dropped  into 
their  forest  nests,  and  the  next  intelligence  of  them  was  by 
the  passing  traveller,  who  spoke  of  their  wheat  fields,  and 
commencing  improvements.  Never  was  transformation 
from  the  silence  of  the  forest  to  the  results  of  population, 
towns,  villages,  farms,  and  all  the  accompaniments  of  civ- 
ilization and  municipal  life  more  silent  and  imperceptible, 
and  at  the  same  time      "*'e  sudden. 

In  four  years  from  the  My  of  Greenville,  to  wit,  in 
1799,  the  territory  passed  to  what  has  since  been  called 
the  second  grade  or  territorial  government.  The  legisla- 
tive power,  which  in  the  first  grade  belonged  to  the  Gover- 
nor and  Judges,  was  transferred  to  a  house  of  represen- 
tatives elected  by  the  people,  and  a  legislative  council,  ap- 


OP  THE  WEST. 


150 


pointed  by  congress.  A  delegate  was  chosen  to  represent 
ihe  territory  in  the  national  legislature.  In  1795,  Cincin- 
nati contained  500  inhabitants;  in  1600,  750;  in  1605, 
060;  in  1820, 10,000;  in  1830,  27,100;  in  1831,  30,000. 


CHAPTER    X. 

INCIDENTS  ATTENDING  THE  SETTLEMENT  OF  LOUISIANA 

RESUMED. 

We  have  already  noticed  thnt  portion  of  the  annals  of 
the  settlement  of  Illinois  and  Louisiana,  that  fell  within 
our  limits  and  our  object,  to  the  period  of  the  settling  of 
New  Orleans. 

This  progress  of  the  French  in  Louisiana  could  not  but 
alarm  the  jealousy  of  the  Spaniards,  whose  settlements  in 
New  Mexico  had  now  advanced  to  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  French-on  Red  River. 

The  Frenr'h,  with  their  customary  felicity  of  ingratia- 
ting them^'^lvr's  with  the  Indians,  had  already  secured  the 
friendship  uf  the  Indians  far  up  the  Missouri,  particularly 
of  the  powerful  tribe  of  the  Missouries,  from  whom  that 
river  derives  its  name.  That  tribe  was  engaged  in  a  war 
with  the  Pawnees,  still  farther  up  the  river.  The  policy 
of  the  Spaniards  was  to  add  their  force  to  that  of  tho  Paw- 
nees, and  destroy  the  Missouries,  the  allies  uf  the  French, 
as  a  preliminary  to  gaining  the  ascendancy  on  the  Missou- 
ri. A  Spanish  expedition  was  dispatched  from  Santa  Fe, 
so  well  known  for  its  present  extensive  trade  with  St.  Louis. 
Their  destination  was  the  Pawnee  towns.  But  mistaking 
their  way,  they  unconsciously  reached  the  chief  town  of 
the  Missouries,  thinking  it  was  that  of  the  Pawnees.  The 
mistake  was  the  more  natural  ns  the  Spaniard?  knew  little 
about  these  remote  tribes.  Beside,  the  two  tribes  spoke  the 
same  language.  They  communicated  their  plan  to  destroy 
the  Missouries  to  themselves,  requesting  their  co-operatioii 


160 


INDIAN  WARS 


in  their  own  destruction.  Dissimulation  is  natural  to  the 
reseri^ed  and  silent  savages,  who  instantly  penetrated  the 
mistake  of  their  foe,  and  afTected  to  come  into  the  plan, 
craflily  enacting  the  part  of  the  Pawnees.  Retaining  their 
customary  unchangeable  gravity  of  manners  and  counte- 
nance, they  betrayed  not  the  slightest  surprise.  They  on- 
ly  requested  ti.ae  to  call  in  their  warriors  and  consult  them 
upon  the  proposition.  At  the  end  of  forty-eigiit  hours  they 
had  assembled  two  thousand  warriors,  and  fell  upon  the 
unsuspectir^  Spaniards,  not  only  reposing  in  a  sense  of 
the  most  perfect  security,  but  meditating  the  destruction 
of  these  very  Indians.  The  whole  expedition  was  slain 
with  the  exception  of  the  accompanying  priest,  who  es- 
caped by  the  fleetness  of  his  horse  to  tell  the  story. 

One  of  the  most  memorable  events  m  the  early  history 
of  I-ouisiana,  is  the  massacre  of  the  French  among  the 
Natchez  by  that  tribe,  and  its  final  extinction  by  the 
French.  The  history  of  this  interesting  tribe  has  been 
given  us  by  thoir  destroyers.  We  may  therefore  presume 
that  at  least  all  the  amiable  traits  allowed  them  were  their 
due.  Compared  with  the  other  tribes  of  this  valley  they 
were  a  polished  people.  Thai.r  traditions  imported  that 
their  forefathers  had  emivrnted  from  some  region  far 
to  the  south-west,  probably  Mexico.  They  hi^dlaws,  sub- 
tirdination  of  classes,  and  various  municipal  institutions, 
an"^  were  considerably  acquainted  «''ith  the  application  of 
many  of  their  medicinal  rlmples.  I'hey  had  an  estab- 
lished worship,  and  a  temple  dedicated  to  the  Great  Spi- 
rit, on  the  altar  of  which  they  preserved  a  perpetual  fire. 
Their  chiefs,  like  the  Incas  of  Peru,  pretended  to  derive 
their  01  igin  from  the  sun.  Some  barbarous  customs  were 
adopted  by  them,  provmg  that  however  mild  and  amiable 
in  other  respects,  they  were  the  victims  of  a  gloomy  super- 
stition. They  offered  human  sacrifices  on  their  altnrs; 
and  when  their  chiefs  were  condemned  to  death,  such  was 
the  blind  veneration  of  their  subjects  that  numbers  were 
always  ready  to  offer  as  voluntary  substitutes  tor  them. 
They  were  a  numerous  people,  comiiidnding  respect  and 
giving  the  law  far  up  and  down  the  Mississippi.  Amidst  the 
aQcieni  toreat!)  of  these  f^rtil^  hills,  in  peace^  content  with 


OP  THE  WEST. 


161 


the  simple  gifts  of  nature,  the  admission  of  white  men 
among  them  was  the  era  of  their  doom. 

The  French  both  courted  and  dreaded  this  formidable 
people;  and  of  all  their  allies  they  hud  been  most  perse- 
veringly  faithful.  They  had  aided  them  in  all  their  pro- 
jects; and  more  than  once,  by  the  supplies  which  they  had 
furnished  the  French,  had  saved  them  from  famine.  The 
outrage  that  is  now  to  be  related,  is  the  more  memorable 
from  the  circumstance  that  the  French  were  generally  no- 
ted for  being  lenient,  faithful,  and  just  in  their  intercourse 
with  the  savages.  No  doubt  that  these  were  the  true  se- 
crets of  their  general  ascendancy  among  them. 

The  cause  of  the  quarrel  that  ensued  between  the 
French  and  Natchez  was  of  the  most  trivial  character. 
A  soldier  of  the  garrison  of  fort  Rosalie,  alleged  that  an 
old  Natchez  warrior  owed  him  corn,  and  demanded  imme- 
diate payment.  The  Indian  replied,  that  the  corn  was 
yet  green  in  the  fields,  and  that  as  soon  as  it  was  suffi- 
ciently ripe,  he  f:,hould  be  paid.  The  soldier  persisted  to 
demand  prompt  payment,  threatening  him  with  a  beating 
if  he  refused.  Even  the  threat  of  being  struck  is  ^^  ver  in- 
supportable to  an  Indian.  The  old  man  sprang  ir.consed 
from  the  fort,  and  challenge  J  the  soldier  to  single  combat. 
The  soldier,  alarmed  by  the  rage  of  the  Indian,  cried  mur- 
der! The  warrior  on  this,  and  seeing  a  crowd  collecting, 
retired  slowly  towards  his  village.  One  of  the  guard  fired 
upon  him,  and  he  was  mortally  wounded.  No  enquiry 
was  made,  or  at  least  no  punishment  inflicted  upon  him 
who  had  committed  the  outrage.  All  the  revengeful  feel- 
ings natural  to  savages,  were  called  up  on  the  occasion. 
The  Natchez  flew  to  arms,  and  the  French  were  assailed 
on  every  side,  and  muny  of  them  fell.  The  '  Stung  Ser- 
pent,' an  influential  chief,  interposed  his  authority,  and  the 
slaughter  ceased.  A  new  treaty  of  peace  was  the  result 
of  the  discussion  that  ensued,  and  the  whole  aflfuir  seemed 
to  be  buried  in  oblivion. 

Soon  after  this,  in  the  year  1723,  under  different  pre- 
texts, several  hundred  soldiers  were  secretly  introduced 
into  the  settlements,  and  the  defenceless  and  unsuspecting 
Natchez  were  slaughtered  in  their  huts.    The  head  of  the 

14* 


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162 


INDIAN  WARS 


first  chief  was  demanded  as  the  price  of  peace,  and  the 
wretched  Natchez  were  obliged  to  yield  to  the  demand. 
The  slaughter  had  continued  four  days  before  peace  was 
granted  them.  This  was  a  deed  of  course  never  to  be 
forgotten,  nor  forgiven  by  the  savages.  They  saw  at  once 
that  there  now  remained  no  alternative  between  their  own 
destruction  or  that  of  their  enemies.  They  were  moody, 
pensive,  t'mid,  and  slow;  but  they  were  sure  in  devising 
the  means  of  vengeance. 

Things  remained  in  this  situation  until  1729.  At  this 
time,  M.  de  Chopart,  who  had  been  the  chief  agent  in  these 
transactions,  and  who  was  excessively  obnoxious  to  the 
savages,  had  been  ordered  to  New  Orleans,  to  meet 
an  investigation  of  his  conduct,  touching  this  affair.  The 
joy  of  the  savages  was  gi  eat ;  for  they  hoped,  at  least  to 
be  delivered  from  his  enmity  and  oppression.  To  their 
despair  they  learned  that  he  was  justified,  and  rein- 
stated in  his  authority.  He  seemed  on  his  return  more 
vindictive  than  ever.  To  manifest  his  ill  feelings  he  de- 
termined to  build  a  town,  two  miles  below  the  present 
site  of  Natchez,  on  ground  occupied  by  a  large  and  ancient 
village  of  the  Intliaus.  Accordingly  he  sent  for  die  Sun 
chief,  and  ordered  him  to  have  the  huts  cleared  away  and 
the  savages  dispersed.  The  chief  replied,  <  that  their  an- 
cestors had  dwelt  there  for  ages;  and  that  it  was  good 
that  their  descendants  should  dwell  there  after  them.'  The 
order  was  repeated  with  a  threat  of  destruction,  if  not 
obeyed. 

The  Indians  dissembled;  and  remarking  <  that  the  com 
had  just  come  out  of  the  ground,  and  that  their  hens  were 
laying  their  eggs,  and  that  to  abandon  their  villages  at 
that  time  would  bring  famine  both  on  them  and  the 
French,'  requested  delay.  All  that  they  could  obtain  of 
the  haughty  commandani,  was  to  delay  until  autumn,  on 
condition  that  each  should  bring  a  basket  of  corn,  and  a 
fowl,  as  a  tribute  for  this  forbearance.  The  savages  met, 
and  held  councils  in  private;  and  the  unanimous  result 
was,  to  make  one  final  effort  to  preserve  their  indepen- 
dence and  the  tombs  of  their  ancestors  inviolate.  The 
Ghickasaws,  the  allies  of  tho  English,  and  the  natural 


OF  THE  WE3T. 


163 


enemies  of  the  French,  were  invited  to  take  a  part  with 
them  in  their  maditated  vengeance  upon  the  French. 
The  Chickasaws  eagerly  consented ;  but  by  the  treachery 
of  one  of  their  women,  probably  in  the  interest  of  the 
French,  were  deceived  as  to  the  day,  and  did  nr)t  arrive 
until  after  the  blow  was  struck.  The  massacre  of  the  • 
French  was  arranged  to  take  place  on  the  time  when  the 
Natchez  should  be  admitted  among  them,  to  pay  their 
tribute  of  corn  and  fowls.-  M.  de  Chopart  was  warned 
by  a  woman,  probably  attached  to  some  Frenchman,  of 
their  approaching  doom.  Bat  the  evil  star  of  the  French 
prevailed,  and  the  commmdant,  instead  of  arousing  to 
caution,  punished  the  informer. 

The  fatal  period  for  the  breaking  forth  of  the  smothered 
vengeance  of  the  savages  came.  The  last  day  of  Novem- 
ber, 172^,  the  Gi*anJ  Sin,  with  his  warriors,  repaired  to 
the  fort,  with  the  promised  tribute  of  corn  and  fowls.  The 
soldiers  were  abroad  in  perfect  security.  The  savages 
seized  the  gate,  and  other  passages,  by  which  the  soldiers 
were  excluded  from  their  arms.  The  garrison  was  filled 
with  warriors.  The  houses  in  the  country  were  occupied, 
by  previous  concert,  at  the  same  time.  It  was  a  general 
massacre.  None  were  spared  but  the  slaves,  and  some 
of  the  women  and  children.  Such  was  the  horror  and 
contempt  of  M .  de  Chopart,  that  the  chiefs  would  not  kill 
him,  and  he  was  slain  by  one  of  the  meanest  of  the  In- 
dians. Of  seven  hundred  people,  scarcely  enough  sur- 
vived to  carry  the  tidings,  of  destruction  to  the  capital. 
All  the  forts,  settlements,  and  inhabitants  on  the  Yazoo 
and  Washita  shared  the  common  fate  of  massacre  and  the 
flames. 

Consternation  at  first  pervaded  the  capital.  But  the 
French  soon  put  every  engine  into  operation,  to  retaliate. 
The  Chickasaws,  thinking  themselves  mocked  by  the  Nat- 
chez, in  being  deceived  as  to  the  time  when  the  blow  was 
struck  on  the  French,  in  resentment  for  not  being  at  the 
massacre  of  the  French,  were  ready  to  join  the  latter,  to 
extirpate  the  Natchez.  Fifteen  hundred  Chickasaws  join- 
ed themselves  to  a  detachment  of  French  troops  aided  by 
cannon.    The  Natchez  had  fortified  themselves;  but  on 


T  ™ 

*V 

■"J 

m 

m 

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'm 

fiiilul 

iklTri 

164 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  appearance  of  this  formidable  force,  and  the  discharge 
of  the  cannon,  they  humbled  themselves  to  sue  for  peace. 
They  offered  to  restore  the  French  prisoners  in  their  pos* 
session,  and  forsake  their  country  forever.  M.  de  Lubois, 
anxious  to  save  the  prisoners,  consented  to  put  off  the  at* 
tack  until  the  next  day,  provided  that  the  prisoners  were 
given  up.  The  following  night  they  deserted  the  fort,  in 
a  silence  so  profound  as  not  to  disturo  their  enemies.  They 
crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  ascended  Red  River  to  a  point 
not  far  from  where  Natchitoches  is  now  situated.  The 
French  pursued  them,  headed  by  M.  de  Perrier,  with  can- 
non. They  had  fortified  themselves;  and  in  their  last 
fastnesses  they  fought  with  the  desperation  of  men  who 
were  ready  to  die.  They  sallied  out,  attempted  to  cut 
their  way  through  the  besieging  force  in  vain.  It  was 
useless  to  contend  with  the  strength  that  surrounded  them. 
The  women  and  children  were  enslaved  at  home;  and  the 
males  were  sent  as  slaves  to  St.  Domingo.  Thus  utterly 
perished  the  once  powerful  tribe  of  the  Natchez. 

The  Spaniards  had  been  long  in  the  habit  of  using  mul- 
titudes of  Indians  of  the  islands,  as  slaves.  The  practice 
had  been  far  from  bemg  common  among  the  French,  in 
regard  to  the  Indians  of  Canada  and  Louisiana.  For  some 
time  even  the  Spaniards  had  desisted  from  the  practice. 
The  benevolent  Las  Casas  had  labored  with  the  Spanish 
monarch  and  the  priests,  until  his  reasonings  or  his  elo- 
quence had  convinced  them,  contrary  to  tlieir  pre-concei- 
ved  opinions,  that  the  Indians  had  souls.  Millions  of  these 
persecuted  beings  had  been  slain,  and  other  millions  re- 
duced to  bondage,  before  the  Spanish  government  acted 
upon  this  conviction.  The  planters  and  cultivators,  in  the 
sultry  climates  of  the  Spanish  colonies,  conceived  that 
they  must  have  slaves.  The  guardian  and  patron  of  the 
Indians  had  caused  the  practice  to  be sispended,  in  rela- 
tion to  them.  The  consequence  was  that  the  curse  fell 
upon  another  race,  equally  unoffending,  in  another  hemis- 
phere; and  the  blacks  were  torn  from  Africa,  to  sweat,  not 
for  themselves,  in  these  burning  climates.  Yet  horrible 
as  this  trafHc  is,  it  is  a  striking  fact  that  it  had  its  origin 
in  perverted  and  misapplied  humanity.  Las  Casas  preach- 


OP  THE  W^T. 


165 


ed  humanity  to  the  Indians;  and  the  fetters  were  knocked 
off  from  one  race  only  to  be  rivetted  on  another.  This 
detestable  traffic  was  started,  indeed,  by  the  Spanish.  We 
find  their  evil  example  soon  followed  by  the  French.  Even 
our  own  ancestors,  pious  and  humane  as  we  esteem  them, 
were  no  way  behind  their  Catholic  examples,  in  their  rea- 
diness to  introduce  black  slaves  into  our  hemisphere. 

Meanwhile  the  Chickasaws,  whose  country  bounded  on 
the  English  settlements  in  Carolina,  and  who  had  been 
steadily  attached  to  their  interests,  had  been  long  obnox* 
ious  to  the  French,  who  were  waiting  for  an  opportunity 
to  make  them  feel  the  weight  of  their  resentment.  A  dou- 
ble motive  stimulated  them  to  this  wish.  The  one  was 
to  drive  the  English  from  among  them,  and  to  securo 
their  trade.  The  other,  to  abridge  the  concurrent  influ- 
ence of  the  English  and  the  Chickasaws  among  the  other 
tribes  in  their  vicinity.  A  pretext  offered,  and  the  French 
seized  it  with  avidity.  A  few  of  the  Natchez  Indians,  who 
had  escaped  the  general  massacre,  had  fled  to  the  proteo- 
tion  of  the  Chickasaws,  and  were  incorporated  with  that 
tribe.  These  Indians,  in  1736,  were  demanded  by  Bien- 
ville, and,  as  he  foresaw,  the  demand  was  refused.  Ho 
marched  up  the  Mobile  against  them  with  a  very  considei^ 
able  force.  It  came  to  a  battle,  and  the  French  had  thtt 
worst  of  the  conflict,  and  were  obliged  to  make  a  disgracei* 
ful  retreat.  At  the  same  time,  the  Chickasaws  had  been 
assailed  on  their  northern  borders  by  the  French  from  the 
Illinois,  to  make  a  diversion  in  favor  of  Bienville.  These, 
also,  were  compelled  to  fly.  It  is  related  as  a  ludicrous 
circumstance,  that  the  Illinois  French,  when  they  marched 
up  to  fight  the  Chickasaws,  suspended  wool  sacks  in  front 
of  Iheir  bodies,  as  a  shield  against  the  arrows  and  balls 
of  the  Chickasaws.  The  circumstance  excited  great  glee 
among  the  English  and  Indians,  who  fired  at  the  legs  of 
these  pastoral  people,  who  evinced  their  value  of  legs,  and 
the  uselessness  of  wool  sacks,  by  running  with  their  best 


Bienville  undertook  another  campaign  against  them, 
with  a  still  greater  force.  It  was  as  unsuccessful  as  the 
former.    It  is  said  that  'lis  force  on  this  occasion  was  the 


466 


INDIAN  V/ARS 


largest,  and  best  appointed,  which  had  ever  been  seen  in 
Louisiana.  So  compietuly  was  it  reduced,  chiefly  by  fa* 
mine  and  desertion,  that  he  was  compelled  to  sue  for  peace. 
He  obtained  a  tolerable  one  only  through  the  ignorance 
of  the  enemy  of  his  weakness. 

I  From  this  peace  to  the  commencement  of  the  war  be- 
tween France  and  England,  in  1754,  few  events  occurred 
in  Louisiana,  that  properly  belong  to  these  annals.  The 
French  government  had  become  sufficiently  aware  of  the 
value  of  the  fertile  soil  and  mild  climate  of  upper  Louisi- 
ana. With  the  exception  of  a  few  ruptures  with  the  In- 
dians, the  coloni**ts  were  enabled  to  extend  their  settle- 
ments without  interruption.  The  French  fixed  their  villa- 
ges in  the  shade  of  deep  forests,.on  the  fertile  prairies,  the 
beaks  of  streams,  or  at  spring  sources,  as  best  suited  their 
fancies.  The  wilderness  and  the  prairies  presented  a 
boundless  choice.  They  negotiated  marriages  or  tempo- 
rary connexions  with  the  young  women  of  their  red  breth- 
ren; and  the  mixed  races  which  we  now  see  in  their  set- 
tlements were  the  fruit.  Their  ambition  was  gratified  by 
managing  their  influence,  so  as  to  keep  up  a  balance  of 
power  arnor>g  the  savage  tribes,  of  such  a  kind  that  their 
weight  in  the  opposite  scale  was  sufficient  to  make  it 
preponderate.  Unlike  the  English  cultivators,  who  gen- 
erally preferred  range,  or  a  wide  space  in  the  wilderness, 
the  French  commonly  established  themselves  in  compact 
settlements,  with  such  narrow  and  huddled  streets,  that 
they  could  carry  on  their  nimble  conversations  across 
them.  The  grand  business  of  the  young  men  was  to  nav- 
igate the  almost  interminable  rivers,  to  hunt  small  adven- 
tures, trade  und  consort  with  the  Indians  to  procure  furs. 
They  were  mostly  clad  in  skins.  Their  houses  were  fur- 
nished, their  couches  made,  and  their  tables  supplied  from 
the  spoils  of  the  chase.  Their  evenings,  on  their  return, 
were  spent  in  dancing,  in  intercourse  with  the  savages, 
and  in  relating  long  stories  of  their  voyages,  adventures, 
and  exploits.  Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  modes  of  ex- 
istence in  Kaskaskia,  Cahokia,  Vincennes,  St.  Genevieve, 
the  post  of  Arkanseu$,  Natchitoches  on  Red  River,  and 
Natdiez  oa  the  Mississippi.    At  the  capital  tber^  were 


OF  THE  WEST. 


le-y 


alwa3r8  a  certain  number  of  people  of  funiily  and  educa- 
tion. There  was  a  kind  of  court,  a  theatre,  and  the  sem- 
blance of  amusements  of  a  higher  order.  The  people 
contemplated  their  rural  countrymen  in  the  woods  about 
at  the  same  distance,  and  with  the  same  estimation  with 
which  themselves  were  contemplated  by  the  circles  of 
Paris. 

Mau}*^  of  the  immigrants  had  been  gentlemen,  and  most 
of  them  had  been  military  characters.  Some  of  them 
were  of  noble  origin.  The  first  settlers  were  probably  of 
better  family,  as  that  matter  was  then  rated,  than  those 
of  any  other  colony  in  North  America,  save  the  colonists 
of  Mexico.  It  is,  perhaps,  a  fortunate  trait  in  the  French 
character— certainly  it  is  an  amiable  one — that  such  men 
could  so  readily  associate  with  savages,  and  make  them- 
selves so  gay  and  happy  in  these  remote  and  unpeopled 
deserts,  where  they  only  heard  from  France  once  or  twice 
in  a  year.  They  had  their  packs  of  dogs,  their  guns, 
their  Indian  beauties,  and  the  range  of  an  unexplored 
world,  to  fill  their  desires  and  their  imaginations.  Their 
descendants  speak  of  these  ancient  *  residenters>^  as  a  su- 
perior race  of  mortals,  and  of  these  times  as  a  kind  of 
golden  age. 

An  expedition  was  started  from  Michilimackinack,  in 
1780,  against  Upper  Louisiana.  It  was  composed  of 
hordes  of  savages,  amounting  to  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred, and  one  or  two  companies  of  English.  It  was  chiefly 
destined  against  St.  Louis;  and  is  still  remembered  with 
shuddering  recollections  by  the  peaceful  French  inhabi- 
tants of  that  country,  under  the  name  of  <  Vannee  du  coup? 
Sixty  of  the  inhabitants  had  been  slain,  and  thirty  made 
prisoners,  when  the  gallant  American  General  Clark  ap- 
peared on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  Mississippi,  with  a  con- 
siderable force.  The  view  of  this  respectable  armament 
of  Americans  struck  the  Indians  with  astonishment.  They 
had  no  idea  of  meeting,  or  fighting,  any  people  but  the 
French;  and  they  charged  their  allies  with  deception,  in 
thus  leading  them  to  combat  with  a  people,  who  spoke  the 
s^me^^nguage  with  the  English.  In  terrors,  lest  the 
jealous  savages  would  turn  upon  them,  the  English  se- 


m 


'^m 


168 


INDIAN  WARS 


cfetly  abandoned  them,  and  both  parties  fnkde  the  best  of 
their  way  to  their  homes.  Unfortunate  projects  are  apt  to 
be  disavowed.  The  British  government  disavowed  the 
expedition,  and  the  private  property  of  the  commander 
was  seized  to  defray  the  expenses  of  it. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

INCIDENTS  OF   THE  LATE  WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN, 
THAT    OCCURRED   IN    THE   WEST. 

From  the  severe  defeat  of  the  savages  by  General 
Wayne,  until  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain,  few  sus- 
tained assaults  of  Indian  warfare  occurred  in  the  west. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1811,  instead  of  ccnnning  them* 
selves  to  solitary  depredations  and  individual  murders,  as 
had  been  their  custom  for  a  considerable  time  past,  they 
began  to  harass  the  frontier  settlements  in  the  west  with 
incessant  incursions,  and  the  murder  of  whole  families. 
The  several  tribes  seemed  to  emulate  each  other  in  deeds 
of  horror  and  blood.  These  incursions  were  either  coun- 
tenanced or  instigated  by  the  usual  influence  and  arts  of 
the  British  traders,  as  had  been  the  case  in  former  days. 
It  was  ascertained  too,  on  a  solemn  invcstigati'on,  that  the 
savages  were  thoroughly  armed,  and  equipped  with  new 
guns.  The  influence  of  a  savage  callec  the  '  Shawanese 
prophet,'  had  been  particularly  efficacious,  in  stirring  up 
the  tribes  of  the  lakes  and  the  Wabash  against  the  United 
States.  General  Harrison,  governor  of  Indiana  territory, 
and  General  Boyd,  commanding  a  regiment  of  United 
States'  Infantry  in  that  quarter,  were  ordered  to  march  to 
the  prophet's  town,  high  on  the  Wabash,  to  demand  repa- 
ration for  the  past,  and  security  for  the  future. 

In  November,  1811,  afler  a  long  march  of  more  than 
thirty  days,  these  ti-oops  encamped  in  the  vicinity  §f  the 
prophet's  town.  General  Harrison,  anxious  to  fit'event 
the  effusion  of  blood,  made  various  unsuccessful  efforts 


4 


OP  THE  WEST. 


169 


at  negotiation.  An  officer  who  was  despatched  to  them 
with  terms,  narrowly  escaped  from  them  with  his  hfe. 
The  troops  were  ordered  slowly  to  approach  the  town  in  or- 
der of  battle.  They  were  met  by  a  deputation  of  Indians, 
with  the  usual  crafty  protestations  of  friendship,  and  en- 
quiries respecting  the  object  of  his  march  into  their  coun- 
try. They  promised  to  hold  a  council  next  day,  to  dis- 
cuss and  settle  all  grounds  of  complaint.  The  prophet  by 
night  conaulted  his  *  grand  medicine,'  and  pronounced 
Hhat  the  enemy  was  now  in  their  power,  fast  asleep,  and 
should  never  wake.' 

Happily  for  the  result  of  this  battle,  little  reliance  had 
been  placed  upon  the  avowal  of  pacific  intentions  by  tho 
savages.  The  troops  had  been  oi-dered  to  lie  upon  their 
arms,  to  be  ready  at  a  moment's  warning.  The  prophet's 
forces  have  been  differently  estimated  from  four  hundred 
to  six  hundred  warriors.  The  American  force  amounted 
to  about  eight  hundred  men. 

The  7th  of  November,  before  four  in  the  morning,  the 
Indians  attacked  the  American  camp  with  a  general  dis- 
charge, and  the  most  horrid  yells.  Favored  by  the  pro- 
found darkness,  they  had  broken  into  ihe  camp.  At  the 
clear  and  distinct  voice  of  General  Harrison  the  troops 
rallied,  and  a  fierce  engagement  of  man  with  man  com- 
menced, amidst  the  confusion  of  darkless,  and  the  horrid' 
yells  of  the  Indian  war  whoop.  The  militia  at  first  re- 
coiled,* but  the  exerliwis  of  Colonel  Geiger  rallied  them  to 
the  charge.  During  the  darkness,  it  is  obvious,  unde^ 
s.uch  circumstances,  tJiat  the  savages  would  have  the  ad- 
vantage. The  troops  were  soon  formed  in  a  parallelogram. 
The  militia  poured  upon  them  a  sheet  of  flame.  As  soon 
as  it  was  possible  to  see  their  position,  the  fourth  regiment 
charged  them  with  the  bayonet,  with  all  the  precision  and 
effect  of  their  admirable  discipline.  They  were  immedi- 
ately cleared  from  the  camp  and  field,  and  fled.  The 
mounted  men  cut  down  many  of  them  on  the  retreat.  It 
was  a  bloody  victory,  obtained  by  the  loss  of  one  hundred 
r  nd  eighty-eight  men  killed  and  wounded.  Of  the  Indians, 
fifly-three  were  found  dead  in  and  about  the  camp;  and 
their  whole  loss  was  calculated  nearly  to  equal  that  of 

15 


¥m 


['ii,*;:i3 


170 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  Americans.  General  Harrison  narrowly  escaped, 
having  had  the  hair  of  his  head  cut  with  a  ball.  He  was 
distinguished  for  his  exertions  and  gallantry  on  the  jcca- 
sion.  The  officers  in  this  affair  merited  and  received  the 
highest  praise.  Some  of  the  bravest  of  them  fell.  In 
short,  ofllicers  and  men  gained  the  meed  of  having  done 
their  duty. 

Immediately  after  the  battle,  the  town  was  deserted  by 
the  Indians.  In  the  precipitancy  of  their  flight,  they  left 
their  provisions,  and  almost  every  thing  they  possessed, 
behind  them.  An  incontestible  proof  that  they  had  been 
supplied  with  arms  by  the  British,  appeared  in  our  finding 
a  great  many  guns  here,  which  had  never  leen  removed 
from  the  cases  in  which  they  had  been  imported,  and  a 
quantity  of  fine  English-glazed  gunpowder.  A  number 
of  the  northern  tribes,  consisting  of  the  Pottowattomies, 
M iamics,  Shawanesc,  and  Winnebageos,  had  sent  their 
warriors  to  this  place.  They  were  headed  by  Stone  Eater, 
White  Loon,  Winnemac,  and  Ellskwatawa,  commonly 
called  *  the  prophet,'and  brother  of  Tecum^^eh.  That  cel- 
ebrated warrior,  who  makes  so  conspicuou,  a  figure  in  the 
subsequent  battles,  was  absent  on  this  occasion. 

Afler  the  army  retired  from  the  field,  the  savages,  in- 
furiated by  their  losses,  dug  up  (he  dead  bodies  of  the  offi- 
cers, scalped  and  otherwise  mutilated  them;  and  they  left 
a  small  force  to  hover  on  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  to 
scalp  those  who  fell  behind,  or  died  of  their  wounds. 

Chi  the  18th  of  June,  1812,  war  was  declared  by  the 
United  States  against  Great  Britain.  A  small  army,  con- 
sisting of  the  four'.h  regiment  of  the  United  States'  infan- 
try, and  three  regiments  of  Ohio  volunteers,  under  the 
command  of  General  Hull,  governor  of  the  Michigan  ter- 
ritory, was  ordered  to  march  for  the  protection  of*  the  fron- 
tiers, against  the  incursions  of  the  savages.  After  a  long 
and  tedious  march  of  thirt\  -five  days,  followed  by  British 
and  Indians,  who  constantly  hung  upon  their  flanks,  these 
troops  arrived  at  Detroit.  They  amounted  to  two  thou- 
sand five  hundred.  The  British  immediately  began  to 
defend  their  opposite  shore.  Their  works  were  easily 
destroyed;  and  General  Hull  crossed  his  troops  over  the 


OF  THE  WEST. 


171 


river  to  the  Canada  side,  and  with  much  menace  in  va* 
poring  proclamations,  proposed  to  invade  the  country.  The 
fall  of  Michillimackinack  was  the  first  in  a  series  of  dis* 
graces  and  misfortunes  that  befel  the  American  arms 
in  this  quarter,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war.  We 
can  only  go  into  these  unpleasant  details,  as  far  as  the 
troops  and  the  great  local  interests  of  the  west  were  imme' 
diately  concerned. 

After  a  series  of  skirmishes,  in  which  Colonel  Cass, 
commanding  the  third  regiment  of  Ohio  volunteers,  and 
Colonel  M' Arthur,  commanding  another  regiment  of  vol* 
unteers  from  Ohio,  were  most  honorably  engaged,  and  a 
series  of  mismanagements  or  misfortunes  on  the  part  of 
General  Hull,  there  was  a  considerable  skirmish  at  Ma- 
gagua.  The  American  force  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Miller.  Against  great  odds,  the  Americans  obtained  an 
undisputed  victory,  in  which  many  Indians  and  some 
British  were  slain. 

At  the  same  time  that  this  slight  success  was  obtained, 
Captain  Heald,  who  commanded  at  Chicago,  at  the  head 
of  Lake  Michigan,  received  orders  to  march  immediately 
from  that  place,  and  proceed  with  his  command  to  Detroit 
by  land.  He  commenced  his  march,  accompanied  by 
fifty-four  regulars  and  twelve  militia,  e«?corted  by  Captain 
Wells,  of  Fort  Wayne,  and  a  few  friendly  Indians  of  the 
Miami  tribe.  The  inhabitants  in  that  quarter,  chiefly  wo- 
men and  children,  accompanied  them,  through  terror  of 
the  savages.  They  were  attacked  on  their  way  by  five 
hundred  Indians.  Twenty-six  of  the  regulars,  and  the 
militia  to  a  man,  were  killed.  Among  the  officers  slain 
were  Captain  Wells  and  ^  ^ign  Roman,  both  of  them 
officers  of  great  gallantry.  I'wo  women  and  twelve  chil- 
dren were  also  killed.  The  rest  were  made  prisoners. 
Captain  Heald  and  his  lady  escaped  alive  to  a  British 
post,  and  were  kindly  received.  Mrs.  Heald  was  wounded 
by  six  shot,  and  the  captain  by  two;  but  they  both  survi- 
ved. 

General  Hull  made  a  quick  return  from  Canada;  and 
things  on  his  part  were  soon  so  far  from  invasion,  that  he 
was  f  ummoned  by  General  Brock  to  surrender.    In  the 


mi 


172 


INDIAN  WARS 


most  disgrnceful  manner,  and  almost  without  fighting,  he 
did  surrender.  The  men  who  had  conducted  so  nobly  at 
Brownstown,  the  heroes  of  the  fou;th  regiment,  the  brave 
volunteers  at  Raisin,  the'  whole  territory,  and  every  thing 
appertaining  to  it,  were  surrrendered  with  Detroit.  Ohio 
had  many  brave  officers  and  troops  there.  They  had  suf- 
fered severely  in  the  skirmishing  that  preceded  this  disas- 
trous and  disgraceful  event.  Never  was  astonishment 
and  humiliation  more  extreme,  than  in  the  case  of  these 
surrendered  troops.  The  British  and  Indians  to  whom 
General  Hull  surrendered,  amounted  to  nearly  one  thou- 
sand four  hundred.  The  force  that  surrendered  to  them 
amounted  to  about  one  thousand  eight  hundred.  No  event 
had  ever  occurred,  that  produced  such  a  burning  sense  of 
shame  and  disgrace-  in  the  west.  Many  of  the  bravest  of 
that  region  wero  feelingly  alive  to  the  honor  of  their 
country,  and  au-'bitious  of  returning  to  their  secluded 
homes,  covered  with  glory.  They  were  dishonored  cap- 
tives in  a  far  distant  country.  An  immense  territory  was 
surrendered;  and  a  horde  of  infuriated  savages,  flushed 
with  success,  was  ready  to  pour  upon,  the  western  frontier, 
now  left  without  any  shelter. 

This  disastrous  intelligence  was  distributed  by  the 
northern  Indian  nmners,.  quite  ta  the  southera  extremity 
of  the  Union,  with  great  celerity.  The  southern  Indians 
were  inviteil  to  take  up  the  hatchet,  in  combination  with 
those  of  the  north.  The  Creeks  and  Seminoles  soon  be- 
came parties  in  the  war;  and  not  a  few  of  the  other  tribes 
either  joined  them,  or  evidently  wished  well  to  their  cause. 
The  whole  frontier  from  Tennessee  to  the  bay  of  Mobile 
was  laid  open  to  their  incursions.  The  British  sent  imr 
plements  and  munitions  of  war  to  Florida ;  and  they  were 
put  into  their  hands  by  the  Spaniards.  To  meet  these 
formidable  aspects  of  danger,  the  people  of  the  contiguous 
states  made  great  and  patriotic  exertions.  The  Seminoles, 
uniting  with  stolen  or  fugitive  negroes,  made  incursions 
into  Georgia;  and  they  commenced  their  accustomed 
course  of  cruelty  and  murder. 

A  most  brave  and  desperate  exploit  was  performed 
against  them  by  ColonelNewraan,of  the  Georgia  volua- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


173 


teers,  with  one  hundred  and  seventeen  men.  lie  was  on 
his  march  for  the  Lotchway  towns,  and  was  met  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  hostile  mounted  Indians.  The  meeting 
was  unexpected  on  both  sides.  Seldom  has  a  mare  des- 
perate struggle  been  recorded.  The  Indians  ret  rented, 
and  were  reinforced  to  nearly  double  the  nuiubor  of  the 
whites,  and  returned  to  the  assault,  'i'hey  were  beaten 
again,  retreated  a  little  distance,  and  entrenched  them- 
selves around  this  little  gallant  band,  ti>  make  sure  of 
them.  They  preserved  a  profound  silence,  and  the  In- 
,dians  thinking  them  fled,  approached  tlieir  camp  with  con- 
fidence. They  received  a  deadly  tire,  which  killed  and 
wounded  thirty  warriors.  They  were  now  allowed  to  re- 
treat unmolested.  The  Indians  lost  three  of  their  princi- 
pal chiefs.  Their  young  leader,  and  Bow-legs,  their  se- 
cond in  command,  were  slain. 

In  1812,  the  famous  Tec un)seh  arrived  among  the  Creek 
Indians,  availing  himself  of  the  superstitions  of  the  savages, 
and  the  predictions  of  his  brother,  the  prophet,  calculated 
at  once  to  exasperate,  and  giv'e  confidence  to  them.  The 
Creeks  soon  began  to  perpetrate  &  series  of  outrages  along 
the  Alabama  frontier.  The  crafty  Tecumseh  had  enjoin- 
ed secrecy,  as  regarded  the  predictions  and  movements. 
But  the  smothered  thirst  for  vengeance  was  too  strong 
among  these  savages,  rendered  confident  by  these  prophe- 
cies, to  be  long  concealed.  The  red  war-clubs  were  soon 
seen  in  every  part  of  the  nation.  Their  first  fury  spent 
itself  on  tliose  of  their  own  people,  who  were  desirous  of 
peace  with  the  United  States.  These  were  obliged  to  fly 
tor  their  lives  to  the  forts  and  settlements  of  the  whites. 

Infatuated  by  the  prophets,  with  the  persuasion  that  the 
'Great  Spirit^  was  on  their  side,  and  that  they  should  be 
found  invincible,  they  made  their  first  assault  upon  fort 
Mimms,  situated  in  the  Tensaw  settlement,  in  Mississippi; 
and  here  they  terribly  signalized  their  cruelty  and  ven- 
geance. It  was  crowded  with  women  and  children,  who 
had  fled  to  it,  from  terror  of  the  savages,  as  a  place  of 
protection.  It  was  garrisoned  by  one  hundred  and  fifly 
men  under  the  command  of  Mdjor  Beasly.  The  savages 
obtained  their  ammunition  and  supplies  from  the  Spanish 

15* 


% 


174 


INDIAN  WARS 


at  Pensacola;  and  in  18 13^  to  the  number  of  six  or  seven 
hundred,  commenced  their  attack  upon  the  fort.  They 
were  fatally  successful,  and  carried  it  by  storm.  About 
three  hundred  persons,  more  than  half  of  them  women  and 
children,  were  massacred.  Never  was  savage  character 
more  fully  developed.  The  mother  and  the  child  were 
slain  with  the  same  stroke  of  the  tomahawk.  But  seven- 
teen of  the  multitude  that  had  crowded  into  the  supposed 
protection  of  the  fort,  escaped  to  relate  the  catastrophe. 
The  abominable  cruelties  of  the  savages,  previous  to  this, 
mere  merged  at  once  in  the  excitement  created  by  this 
monstrous  and  most  unprovoked  atrocity.  As  soon  as 
the  news  reached  the  adjoining  states,  a  just  spirit  of  re- 
sentment was  aroused.  A  campaign  had  been  already 
planned  by  the  governor  of  Tennessee,  in  conformity  to 
instructions  from  the  secretary  of  war,  against  them.  The 
feelings  universally  excited  on  this  occasion,  naturally  ac- 
celerated these  operations.  General  Jackson  was  selec- 
ted by  public  sentiment  as  the  commander  in  this  cam- 
paign. 

General  Jackson,  though  suffering  from  a  severe  wound 
which  he  had  received  in  a  private  rencontre,  accepted  the 
command.  Colonel  Coffee,  in  whom,  also,  the  Tennessee- 
ans  reposed  great  confidence,  commanded  under  him;  and 
in  case  the  general  government  should  not  see  fit  to  adc^i 
the  expedition,  and  defray  its  expense,  the  state  voted 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  its  support.  In  prepa- 
ring for  this  campiiign,  and  in  marching  to  the  scene  of 
action.  General  Jackson  encountered  every  difficulty  and 
df 'ay,  that  cou'u  arisa  from  the  opinions  of  opposing  fac- 
tioitis,  fromfalse  alarm  and  intelligeace,  from  the  refracto- 
ry spirit  of  men  generally  unucej  to  control,  and  much 
more  so  to  the  stern  control  of  a  camp;  and  more  than  ill 
from  hunger,  and  an  uncertain  supply  of  provisions.  He 
seemed  precisely  the  man  to  meet  and  obviate  all  these 
diti[]iculties.  Uniting  in  an  uncommon  degree  perseverance 
with  promptitude,  no  opposition  stood  in  his  way,  but  that 
which  in  the  nature  of  things  was-  insurmountable.  He 
soon  marched  with  such  as  these  circumstances  allowed 
him  to  collect. 


:^i 


OP  THE  WEST. 


175 


In  the  vicinity  of  the  Creek  settlements,  Colonel  Dyer 
was  detached  to  attack  Littafutchee-towu,  one  of  their 
villages.  He  destroyed  the  village,  and  returned  with  a 
considerable  number  of  its  inhabitants  prisoners.  Gene- 
ral Jacks'jn  had  been  for  sometime  anxiously  waiting  the 
arrival  of  Greneral  Cocke  from  East  Tennessee,  with  re- 
inforcemants  and  provisions.  Learning  that  a  considera- 
ble body  of  the  enemy  had  posted  themselves  on  the  Tal- 
lushatchee,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Coosa,  thirteen  miles 
distant,  he  detached  General  Coffee,  with  nine  hundred 
men,  to  attack  and  disperse  them. 

Greneral  Coffee  was  so  fortunate  as  to  find  a  fordable 
point  of  the  Coosa,  and  there  crossed  his  troops,  directing 
them  to  encircle  the  town,  and  unite  their  fronts  beyoud  it. 
The  enemy  announced  their  preparation  for  action,  by 
beating  their  drums,  and  the  customary  yells  and  war- 
whoops.  The  Indians  in  the  first  instance  assailed  an  ad- 
vance party  with  great  fury.  The  action  soon  became 
general,  and  the  savages  retreated  to  their  houses.  Here 
they  fought  to  desperation  as  long  as  they  couM  stand  or 
sit;  neither  evincing  fear  nor  asking  for  quarter.  Their 
loss  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  killed;  among  whom, 
unfortunately,  and  in  the  accidental  fury  of  the  conflict, 
were  some  women  j.nd  children.  Of  the  prisoners,  eighty- 
four  were  women  and  children,  who  were  treated  with  the 
utmost  humanity.  Oi"  the  Americans,  five  were  killed, 
and  forty  one  wounded.  Two  were  killed  with  arrows. 
Most  of  the  warriors  had  quivers  filled  witharrowSj  which 
they  used  after  the  "first  fire,  until  they  could  reload. 

On  the  northern  frontier,  the  effect  of  the  fall  of  Michil- 
imackinack,  Chicago,  and  more  than  all,  Detroit,  was  ap- 
paUing  thropgh  the  Union.  It  had  an  electric  effect  upon 
the  west.  An  offj'*  was  made  to  receive  volunteers  for 
the  organization  of  a  new  army ;  and  there  has  not  often 
been  on  record  an  instance  of  an  army  formed,  equipped, 
and  ready  to  march,  with  more  celerity.  From  Pennsyl- 
vania, two  thousand  volunteers,  under  Brigadier  General 
Crooks,  General  Tupper's  brigade  of  Ohio  volunteers^, 
and  the  17th  regiment  under  Colonel  Wells,  were  soon  on 
their  march,  and  at  their  place  of  rendezvous.    The  comr^ 


III 


,:i:^M 


176 


INDIAN  WARS 


mand  was  assigned  to  General  Harrison,  who  was  highly 
popular  uiuong  the  troops,  and  under  him  in  conunand 
was  General  Pa3'ne,  of  Kentucky. 

Immediately  after  tiie  disasters  of  Detroit,  the  prophet's 
Indians  marched  to  invest  forts  Harrison  and  Wayne, 
which  were  garrisoned  only  by  a  few  regulars  and  volun- 
teers. They  murdered,  burned,  and  destroyed  every 
thing  in  the  vicinity  of  these  forts.  They  fired  fort  Har- 
rison; and  the  shrieks  of  women  and  children,  contem- 
plating on  one  hand  the  sheet  of  flame  rolling  towards 
them,  and  on  the  other  hearing  the  horrid  yells  of  the  mer- 
ciless savages,  afford  us  one  of  those  scenes  that  were  so 
common  during  the  war.  Bjrh  of  these  places  were  de- 
fended with  desperate  bravery,  until  they  Were  relieved; 
the  one  by  a  considerable  fjrce  of  mounted  volunteers 
from  Illinois,  and  the  other  by  the  forces  of  General  Har- 
rison. He  divided  his  force,  in  the  first  instance,  into 
scouting  parties,  and  made  these  merciless  and  deluded 
beings  teel,  by  retaliation,  something  of  the  horrors  which 
themselves  had  perpetrated.  Those  Indian  tribes  that 
had  remained  faithful  to  the  United  States,  and  whose  wish 
to  join  our  standard  had  been  hitherto  refused,  b^  an  ar- 
rangement with  the  executive,  were  permitted  to  take  a 
part  in  the  war.  Logan,  a  warrior  ot  distinguished  repu- 
tation, joined  General  Harrison  with  seven  hundred  war- 
riors. Volunteers,  more  than  were  demanded  by  the  ex- 
pedition, poured  in  from  ail  quarters.  The  zeal  and 
patriotism  of  the  western  states  were  manifested  by  the 
most  active  exertions,  and  by  sacrifices  of  every  sort, 
such  as  the  occasion  required — sacrifices  of  endurance, 
treasure,  and  blood.  Few  were  more  conspicuous  in  the 
manifestation  of  this  spirit,  than  Return  J.  Meigs,  then 
Governor  of  Ohio. 

A  separate  command  had  been  assigned  to  General  Win- 
chester, as  it  appears,  to  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  troops 
confided  to  him.  The  troops  of  General  Payne  and  Col- 
onel Wells,  by  this  arrangement,  were  placed  at  his  dispo- 
sal. He  was  directed  to  push  forward  in  a  parallel  ad" 
vance,  at  ^ome  distance  from  General  Harrison,  and  in 
eoacert  wit  i  him,  regain  the  country  occupied  by  the  In- 


•4 


OF  THE  WEST. 


diaas,  retake  the  lost  posts,  and  if  possible  capture  Maiden, 
and  all  the  places  near  our  frontiers,^at  were  central 
coverts  for  the  Indians.  General  Winchester  advanced, 
until  he  found  himself  in  front  of  an  enemy  of  superior 
numbers.  The  advance  of  his  force  under  Captain  Bal- 
lard, had  already  had  severe  skirmishing  with  them.  A 
few  brave  and  inexperienced  young  volunteers,  who  had 
rashly  ventured  beyond  the  main  body  under  I'nsign  Lig- 
git,  were  slain,  and  caused  deep  regret  at  their  untimely, 
fall.  General  Winchester  immediately  sent  i^espatches 
to  General  Harrison,  requesting  aid.  General  Tupper, 
with  his  mounted  men^  directly  commenced  his  march  to 
yield  the  required  assistance.. 

There  was  some  severe  skirmishing  of  the  enemy  witb 
the  advance  of  General  Winchester's  force,  in  which  TjO- 
gan,  the  friendly  chief,  after  conducting  with  great  person- 
al bravery,  was  mortally  woui  ded.  Colonel  Campbell 
was  detached  by  General  Harrison,  with  a  considerable 
force,  against  the  Missisineway  towns.  In  an  attack  upon 
one  of  these  towns,  a  severe  engagement  ensued,  in  which 
the  Indians  were  defeated,  and  that  and  some  other  towns 
destroyed.  Next  morning  tkie  Indians  were  reinforced 
and  attacked  him.  They  were  again  defeated ;  but  a  num- 
ber of  brave  officers  fell  in  the  charge.  The  detachment 
behaved  with,  ^reat  coolness  and  fortitude ;  and  what  was 
still  bettter,  with  humanity  to  the  wounded,  and  those 
who  fell  into  their  power.  Colonel  Campbell,  having  ac- 
complished his  object,  «ommenced  his  march  for  Greens- 
ville. The  terrible  Tecumseh  was  reported  to  be  lurking 
in  the  vicinity,  with  five  hundred  warriors.  The  weather 
was  severe,  and  nearly  the  half  of  his  men  were  disqual- 
ified from  duty,  by  being  frozen  in  some  part  of  their 
limbs.  The  men  expected  an  attack,  and  would  probably 
have  been  destroyed.  Their  exemption  from  attack  has 
been  by  some  attributed  to  the  absence  of  the  prophet,  who 
is  supposed  to  have  been  slain  in  the  attack  upon  Colonel 
Campbell. 

A  brigade  of  Kentnckians,  under  General  Hopkins,  had 
been  sent  into  Indiana  territory  against  the  savages  of  the 
Wabash  and  Illinois.     They  destroyed  a  number  of  towns, 


^te;t.- 


178 


INDIAN  WARS 


and  had  some  skirmishing  with  the  enemy.  A  company 
of  cavalry  belonging  to  this  detachment,  advanced  to  bury 
one  of  their  slain  companions,  and  felt  inio  an  Indian  am- 
buscade. Eighteen  of  their  number  were  killed  and 
wounded,  and  among  them  were  several  promising  young 
officers. 

Exasperated  by  these  repeated  successes  of  the  Ameri- 
can troops  against  the  different  Indian  posts  and  villages, 
the  enemy  resolved  to  advs  nee  with  their  combined  arms 
to  Frenchtown,  to  intercept  the  American  forces  marching 
upon  Detroit.  The  inhabitants  of  that  vil'r-g^  expected  to 
be  massacred;  and  they  implored  the  protection  of  Gene- 
ral Winchester.  This  expedition  appears  to  have  been 
undertaken  without  any  concert  with  General  Harrison. 
General  Winchester,  according  to  their  request,  marched 
to  their  aid,  with  six  hundred  men.  Aftc  some  hard  skir- 
mishing, in  which  the  Americans  were  victorious,  the  con- 
centrated forces  of  General  Winchester,  amounting  to 
about  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men,  found  themselves  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  British  General  Proctor,  and  Tecumseh, 
with  two  thousand  men.  These  forces  attacked  the  Amer- 
ican camp,  and  were  bravely  repulsed,  though  with  severe 
loss.  In  a  second  attack.  General  Winchester,  Colonel 
Lewis,  and  some  other  persons,  by  some  unaccountable 
inadvertence,  were  made  prisoners.  The  American  force 
deprived  thus  of  its  chief  officers,  repelled  every  attack 
with  the  bravery  of  desperation,  until  a  flag  from  the  ene- 
my promised  quarters  and  protection  if  they  would  sur- 
render; at  the  sam3  time  menacing  the  towa  with  confla- 
gration, and  the  inhabitants  with  the  uncontrolled  fury  of 
the  savages,  if  they  refused  those  terms.  Twenty-two 
officers,  and  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  non-commis- 
sioned officers  and  privates  had  already  been  slain  or 
wounded.  Thirty-five  officers,  and  four  hundred  and  eigh- 
ty-sev3n  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  surren- 
dered Hi  the  faith  of  General  Proctor.  The  enemy's  loss 
had  pvcbably  been  not  much  inferior  to  that  of  the  Amer- 


ican'i 


i'he  events  that  followed,  have  lost  something  of  their 
4ark  coloring  by  thQ  effect  of  time,  that  extinguishes  re- 


^ 


OF  THE  WEST. 


179 


venge,  ani)  softens  the  remembrance  of  injuries.  But  the 
infamous  name  of  Proctor  will  nover  be  turgotlen  in  the 
West.  Fathers  still  repair  to  the  empty  monuments  of 
their  high  spirited  and  promising  sons,  who  fell  in  the  da9> 
tardly  treachery  of  that  surrender.  Many  officers  of  the 
first  respectability,  and  young  men  of  the  best  families  and 
the  highest  promise,  were  massacred  by  the  savages,  after 
they  had  surrendered.  The  deportment  of  the  British  was 
little  short  of  that  of  the  savages,  in  regard  to  the  prisoners 
in  their  possession.  General  Proctor,  when  charged  with 
these  enormities,  did  not  attempt  to  deny  them.  He  only 
affirmed,  that  no  promise  of  protection  had  been  given, 
and  no  obligation  to  control  the  savages  incurred.  These 
transactions  are  commonly  known  in  the  West  by  the  name 
of  the  'massacre  of  the  ilaisin'' 

General  Harrison,  though  his  plans  were  wholly  discon- 
certed by  these  disasters  of  General  Winchester's  troops, 
set  himself  immediately  to  organizing  them  anew.  In  this 
he  was  strongly  aided  by  the  indefatigable  Meigs,  who 
promptly  forwarded  two  regiments  of  Ohio  militia,  as  re- 
inforcements, and  by  the  troops  generally,  who  burned  to 
avenge  the  loss  of  their  brave  brethren  in  arms.  He  again 
af^' anced  to  the  Rapids,  and  built  a  fort,  which  has  since 
I  len  famous  under  the  name  of  fort  Meigs.  He  then  set 
out  on  his  return  to  Ohio,  to  consult  with  the  governor,  and 
to  accelerate  the  march  of  the  recruits.  The  fort  was  be- 
sieged in  his  absence  by  the  enemy.  He  was  soon  ap- 
prised of  the  circumstance,  and  returned.  Great  exertions 
were  made,  alike  in  the  attack  and  the  defence.  The 
British  and  Indians  manifested  extreme  rancor,  and  were 
unsparing  in  their  labors  and  assaults.  The  roar  of  can- 
non and  bomls  discharged  upon  the  fort  was  continual. 
The  defence  was  gallant  and  determined,  and  a  number 
of  men  were  slain  in  it. 

At  length  a  despatch  arrived  with  forty-seven  men,  from 
General  Clay's  brigade,  informing  that  hri  was  at  hand, 
with  one  thousand  one  hundred  Kentuckians.  The  besie- 
gers were  attacked  by  him.  Their  batteries  were  carried, 
and  their  cannon  spiked.  In  the  ardor  of  pursuit.  Colonel 
Dudley  was  led  into  an  ambuscade,  and  an  attack  ecla- 


ir ll 


I  'Li      >«•* 


1',  i-  ,    " 


ISO 


INDIAN  WARS 


menced  upon  the  brave  but  indiscreet  Kentuckians,  Mrhich 
terminated  in  the  death  or  capture  of  almost  the  whole 
detachment.  The  barbarities  of  the  river  Raisin  were 
here  acted  over  ag^in,  though  not  to  the  same  extent.  The 
Indians  massacred  forty-five  of  the  prisoners,  and  the  gal- 
lant Colonel  Dudley  among  them.  He  is  said  to  have 
killed  one  of  the  assailing  Indians,  after  he  was  himself 
mortally  wounded.  In  the  meantime,  there  was  a  sortie 
from  the  fort,  which  was  intended  to  have  been  simulta- 
neous with  the  assault  of  Colonel  Dudley.  The  troops 
that  composed  it  experienced  hard  fighting.  They  were 
assailed  by  four  times  their  number,  and  would  have  been 
cut  ofl'  had  not  Lieutenant  Gwynne,  at  the  critical  moment 
come  to  their  aid,  and  gallantly  charged  the  Indians.  On 
the  6th  of  the  month,  hostilities  seemed  suspended,  as  if 
by  mutual  consent.  Terms,  in  relation  to  the  prisoners 
and  wounded,  were  mutually  settled  between  besiegers 
and  besieged. 

On  the  9th,  the  enemy  abandoned  his  works,  and  the 
siege,  which  had  lasted  thirteen  days,  and  in  which  he 
had  exhausted  his  efTorts,  was  raised. 

Proctor  had  vaunted  to  his  Indian  allies,  that  he  would 
capture  the  garrison,  and  deliver  it  over  to  them,  no  doubt 
to  share  the  fate  of  those  who  had  before  fallen  into  their 
hands.  In  the  course  of  the  siege,  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  shells  and  balls  had  been  fired  upon  the  fort,  and 
a  continual  discharge  of  small  arms  been  kept  up.  The 
American  loss  in  the  siege  and  sortie  was  two  hundred  and 
seventy  killed  and  wounded.  Kentucky  here,  as  else- 
where, suffered  most  severely.  The  gallant  but  indis- 
creet impetuosity  of  her  sons  led  them  to  select  the  points 
of  peril. 

In  the  month  of  June,  the  Seneca  Indians  offered  their 
services  to  General  Harrison,  and  they  were  accepted. 
The  incursions  of  the  hostile  savngtm  upon  our  frontiers 
were  frequent  and  bloody.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  were 
killed,  or  made  captives,  and  the  remainder  were  of  course 
in  a  state  of  continual  alarm.  In  one  of  these  assaults, 
Colonel  Ball,  with  a  small  detachment,  was  attacked  from 
an  ambush,     There  were  about  twenty  in  each  party.  In 


of  THfe  WEST*. 


181 


the  hottest  of  the  fight,  Colonel  Ball,  whose  horse  had 
been  shot  down,  was  engaged  in  personal  contest  with  an 
Indian  of  great  strength  and  jwowess.  He  was  relieved 
by  an  officer  of  his  party,  who  shot  the  Indian.  The  sav- 
ages then  made  a  desperate  onset  with  the  usual  yell,  in- 
dicating that  they  would  neither  take  nor  give  quarter. 
The  band  of  savages  was  destroyed  to  a  man. 

In  his  general  orders  after  the  raising  the  siege  of  fort 
Meigs,  General  Harrison  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of 
the  conduct  of  his  men  during  the  siege.  To  Majors 
Todd,  Ball,  Lodwick,  Ritzer,  and  Johnson,  he  made  the 
public  expression  of  his  warmest  satisfaction.  In  speak- 
ing of  the  Kentuckians,  he  said — 'It  rarely  happened  that 
a  general  had  to  complain  of  the  excessive  ardor  of  his 
troops;  but  that  this  seemed  to  be  generally  the  cas3  when 
the  Kentuckians  were  engaged;  and  that  they  appeared 
to  think  that  valor  alone  could  accomplish  every  thing.' 
Of  the  conduct  of  the  General  himself,  it  appears  to  bo 
generally  conceded  that  he  merited  entire  praise.  During 
the  seventh  day  of  the  siege  of  which  we  have  just  spoken, 
he  received  from  General  Proctor  a  summons  to  surrc  ader 
the  fort,  making  much  parade  of  his  own  force,  and  avow- 
ing the  usual  desire  to  prevent  the  effusion  of  blood.  The 
proper  answer  was  returned,  and  the  summons  was  not 
repeated. 

After  the  raising  the  siegj  effort  Meigs,  General  Har- 
rison transferred  his  head  quarters  to  Seneca  town,  on 
the  Lower  Sandusky.  It  was  now  geneially  supposed 
that  General  Proctor  would  unite  his  forces  with  tihose  of 
the  main  Canadian  army,  engaged  in  another  quarter. 
General  Harrison  better  understood  his  purposes.  Fort 
Meigs  had  Lcen  placed  in  an  excellent  state  of  defence. 
Great  exertions  wore  made  to  fortify  fort  Stephenson,  as 
itapj»ear?,  npiiinsl  the  counsels  of  General  Harrison.  Du- 
ring the  mdith  of  July,  Iho  congregated  tril.cs  of  savages 
under  Teciansoh,  who  was  reported  to  have  received  the 
rank  and  emoluments  of  Brigadier  General  under  General 
Proctor,  together  with  a  considerable  force  of  regulare^ 
proceeded  on  an  expcditiijn,  the  object  of  which  was  the 
capture  of  forts  Meigs  and  Stephenson.     Tecumsch  was 

16 


■f  M; 


182 


INDIAN  WARS 


despatched  with  two  thousand  warriors,  to  make  a  diver- 
.  sion  favorable  to  the  British,  while  they  advanced  to  the 
attack  of  fort  Stephenson.  Proctor  made  a  feint,  mean- 
while, to  keep  the  attention  of  General  Harrison  occupied 
with  fort  Meigs.  Proctor  immediately  appeared  before 
fort  Stephenson,  with  seven  hundred  Indians  under  Dixon, 
and  five  hunched  regulars.  A  number  of  guH  boats  had 
been  brought  round  to  bear  upon  the  fort.  Major  Croghan 
was  in  it  with  no  more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  men. 
He  had  already  disobeyed  the  orders  of  his  commander  in 
chief,  in  not  destroying  the  works,  and  abandoning  the 
place,  as  indefensible.  It  was  immediately  invested  with 
a  force  of  such  immense  superiority,  as  left  him  but  a  dark 
prospect  of  being  able  to  maintain  a  siege,  and  little  hope 
of  relief,  but  by  the  desperate  expedient  of  cutting  his 
way  to  the  enemy.  He  chose  to  defend  it.  He  hastily 
cut  a  deep  ditch,  and  raised  a  stockade  round  it. 

General  Proctor  attempted  to  gain  the  place  by  artifice. 
He  sent  a  flag,  accompanied -with  the  noted  renegade. 
Colonel  Elliott,  well  remembered  for  his  conduct  towards 
the  Americans  at  the  river  Raisin.  Parade,  artifice,  and 
menace,  were  alike  unavailing  to  procure  the  surrender. 
The  steady  answer  of  Major  Cro^q;han  was,  'that  he  should 
never  surrender  the  place  as  long  as  there  were  any  men 
in  it,  to  defend  it.'  General  Proctor  then  opened  batteries 
upon  his  works,  and  ccmmcticed  a  furious  cannonade. 
This  was  continued  a  long  lime  without  much  effect.  Col- 
onel Short,  of  the  besiegers,  then  led  up  a  force  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty  regulars,  in  close  column,  to  storm  the 
fort.  The  fire  which  the  besieged  opened  upon  them  threw 
them  into  confusion,  and  induced  a  hasty  retreat.  Colonel 
Short . rallied  them,  and  they  advanced  so  far  the  second 
lime  as  to  gain  the  ditch.  They  leapt  into  it,  and  filled 
it.  A  concealed  six  pounder  had  been  so  placed  as  to  rake 
the  ditch  in  a  line.  It  w  as  charged  with  slugs,  and  dis- 
charged upon  them.  The  front  of  this  column  was  only 
thirty  yards  from  the  piece.  Colonel  Short,  and  almost 
every  man  in  the  ditch,  was  killed.  A  volley  of  musketry 
at  the  same  time  was  fired  with  fatal  execution,  upon  those 
who  were  standing  upon  the  outer  edge  of  the  ditch.    The 


was  c 


OP  THE  WEST. 


183 


officer  who  succeeded  Colonel  Short,  rallied  the  broken 
column,  and  led  it  again  into  the  ditch.  A  second  dis- 
charge of  the  fatal  six  pounder  was  made  with  the  same 
effect  as  the  first;  and  the  volley  of  m-.isketry  that  fol- 
lowed, completed  the  confusion.  A  retreat  ensued,  and 
an  army  retired  from  a  garrison  that  contained  not  a  tenth 
part  of  their  numbers,  and  which,  at  the  commencenient 
of  the  siege,  had  taken  counsel  only  from  their  despair. 
No  inconsiderable  quantity  of  baggage  and  arms  was  left 
by  the  besiegers;  and  their  loss  was  reported  to  have  been 
not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  That  of  the  gar- 
rison was  only  one  killed  and  seven  wounded.  Major 
Croghan  gained  and  received  imperishable  lienors.  Cap- 
tain Hunter,  Lieutenants  Johnson,  Bayle,  Meeks,  and 
Ensigns  Shipp,  and  Duncan,  acquired  great  and^  deserved 
praise. 

The  brilliant  and  complete  victory  of  lake  Erie,  by  the 
fleet  under  the  gallant  Perry,  followed.  The  result  of  this 
splendid  action,  placed  the  whole  lake  under  the  American 
control.  Then  first  the  masts  of  a.  captured  British  fleet 
were  seen  among;  the  trees  on  the  shores  of  Ohio.  These 
foresters  of  the  shores  of  Eric  gazed  on  the  impressive 
array  of  ships,  which  is  usually  seen  only  on  the  ocean. 
Six  hundred  British  prisoners  were  conducted  to  Chillico- 
the.  The  flush  of  success  and  the  animation  of  hope  were 
infused  into  the  couHtry.  Governor  Maigs  made  an  ap- 
peal to  the  militia  of  Ohio  for  volunteers,  and  fifteen  thou- 
sand were  soon  under  arms.  Their  original  object  was 
the  relief  of  fort  Stephenson;  but  they  now  entertained 
other  hopes.  The  governor  of  Kentucky,  Colonel  Isaac 
Shelby,  arrived  with  four  thousand  mounted  volunteers. 
Thegrenter  part  of  the  garrison  of  tort  Maigs,  under  Gei% 
eral  M'Arthur  joined  him.  General  Harrison  immediate- 
ly determined  upon  invading  the  enemy's  shores.  The 
troops  were  received  on  board  the  victorious  fleet  of  Com- 
modore Perry,  increased  by  the  captured  ships  of  the  ene- 
my. From  sixteen  vessels  of  war  and  one  hundred  boats 
they  were  landed,  in  perfect  order,  a  league  below  Maiden. 
It  must  have  been  a  voyage  as  novel  and  impressive  as  it 
was  cheerins  to  these  sons  of  the  west. 


•M} 


l»l 


INDIAN  WARS 


General  Proctor  immediately  abandoned  Maiden;  and 
having  first  set  fire  to  the  fort,  and  destroyed  the  public 
prof:erty,  he  retreated  with  his  Indians  towards  the  Thames. 
The  American  army  entered  Amherstburgh)  amidst  the 
smoke  of  the  conflagration  of  the  public  works.  The  wo- 
men of  the  place  came  out  in  a  body,  and  begged  that 
protection  which  Amaricans  could  never  refuse.  The 
place  was,  indeed,  in  many  respects  obnoxious  to  every 
feeling  of  retaliation  and  vengeance.  Here  the  savages 
had  been  fostered.  Here  they  had  held  their  horrid  orgies 
of  exultation,  on  their  return  from  successful  expeditions. 
Hence,  loaded  with  presents  and  munitions  of  war,  they 
had  marched  to  plundar,  massacre,  and  destroy.  Scarcely 
a  volunteer  who  entered  this  odious  place,  but  had  suffered 
in  his  person,  property,  relations,  or  friends,  by  the  outra- 
ges and  massacres,  which  had  been  spirited  and  instigated 
from  this  place.  But  it  was  determined  that  the  British 
and  Indians  should  see  the  difference  between  the  Ameri- 
can troops,  and  those  who  had  enacted -the  bloody  tragedy 
of  the  river  Raisin.  Even  the  house  of  the  renegado, 
Colonel  Elliott,  was  spared. 

General  Proctor  and  his  army  made  all  speed  to  Sand- 
wich. They  were  followed  by  the  American  army  by 
land,  and  the  fleet  through  the  river  Datroit.  General 
Harrison  directed  General  M'Arthur  to  remain,  with  most 
of  the  regular  troops,  to  occupy  Detroit,  and  to  watch  the 
motions  of  the  celebrated  chief  *  Split-log,'  who  had  re- 
tired with  a  great  body  of  savages  to  the  woods,  near  the 
Huron  of  lake  St.  Clair.  He  continued  the  pursuit  of 
Proctor  up  the  Thames.  He  was  joiied  by  tha  regiment 
of  Colonel  Johnson,  part  of  Colonel  Ball^  regiment  of 
Jfagoons,  and  the  wholo  of  Governor  Shelby's  volunteers. 
General  Cass  and  Commodore  Perry  acted  as  his  aids. 
The  fortunate  capture  of  a  British  Lieutenant  of  dragoons 
and  eleven  privates,  who  had  been  left  to  destroy  the  brid- 
ges, enabled  him  to  save  a  bridge,  and  to  learn  that  the 
enemy  had  had  no  certain  advices  of  his  destination  up  the 
Thames.  Djring  this  rapid  pursuit,  tha  American  array 
captured  a  quantity  of  clothing,  two  thousand  stands  of 
arms,  and  a  number  of  cannon.    They  easily  dispersed 


OF  THE  WEST. 


185 


the  Indians  from  their  path.  In  a  skirmish,  the  rear  of 
the  enemy  sufllered  a  considerable  loss.  Two  gun  boats, 
and  several  biirgos  loaded  with  provisions,  were  taken. 

On  the  5th  of  the  month,  the  pursuit  was  eagerly  re- 
newed, and  intelligence  was  brought  that  the  enemy 
was  waiting  for  them,  in  order  of  battle,  at  four  miles'  dis- 
tance. Thsir  position  was  well  chosen.  On  one  side  was 
a  swamp,  an  J  on  the  other  a  river.  Between  the  swamp 
and  the  river  was  a  level  plain,  the  approach  to  which 
was  defended  by  a  thick  wood.  The  British  were  posted 
in  a  line  across  this  plain.  Their  left  rested  upon  the  riv- 
er, and  was  supported  by  most  of  their  artillery.  Their 
centre  was  protected  by  two  heavy  pieces  of  cannon.  Their 
force  numbered  about  one  thousand  two  hundred  Indians, 
and  six  hundred  regulars^  The  arrangments  of  General 
Harrison  for  the  several  corps  of  his  army  were  formed 
with  great  judgment.  They  were  entrusted  to  Lieutenant 
Colonel  James  Johnson,  Colonel  Paul,  and  Colonel  R.  M. 
Johnson,  Major  Thompson,  and  CaptHin  Strieker.  A  di- 
vision was  commanded  by  General  Desha.  The  Ameri- 
can troops  mDved  to  the  attack,  and  received  the  fire  of 
the  British.  In  a  moment,  the  line  of  the  enemy  was 
broken  by  one  thousand  horsemen,  who  dashed  through 
the  centre,  and  either  cut  or  trampled  down  all  that  oppo- 
sed them.  The  shock  was  irresistible.  There  was  an 
immediate  surrender  of  four  hundred  and  seventy-two 
men,  with  their  officers.  General  Proctor  was  aware  of 
bis  deserts  and  escaped  with  all  possible  speed. 

The  Indians  contes':ed  the  battle  with  much  more  perti- 
nacity than  their  British  allies.  Tecumseh  put  forth  all 
his  courage  and  prowess  in  this  battle.  He  awaited  the 
shock  of  the  American  cavalry,  and  dealt  it  a  prodigioi4l» 
fire  as  it  advanced.  The  first  effort,  although  a  desperate 
one,  to  break  the  Indian  line,  failed.  Ci)lonel  Johnson 
then  ordered  his  men  to  dismount,  and  fitjht  the  Indians  af- 
ter their  own  fashion.  The  fight  was  fierce  and  obstinate. 
Part  of  the  Amarican  line  faltered;  but  at  that  critical  mo- 
ment Colonel  Shelby  came  up  with  a  reinforcement  and 
turned  the  scale.  A  personal  ^.outest  ensued  between  Co- 
lonel Johnson  and  Tecumseh,     The  former  had  been 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


1.1 


1.25 


Ui|28    |25 

■U  Uii    12.2 

U    liii 

■"     no 

us      KB 

lit 


my 


2.0 


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6" 


HiolDgraphic 

Sciences 

Corporalion 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 
WUSTM,N.Y.  M5M 

(71(>)S72-4S03 


166 


INDIAN  WARS 


wouaded  five  times,  was  covered  with  blood,  and  wasr 
smarting  with  the  agony  of  his  wounds.  He  had  been 
mounted  on  a  beautiful  white  charger  through  the  action, 
which  rendered  him  a  conspicuous  mark  for  the  direction 
of  the  savage  shots.  He  had  received  a  shower  of  bullets, 
which  pierced  every  part  of  his  dress  and  accoutrements. 
His  horse  was  wounded,  and  in  staggering  back  exposed 
hitn  to  the  tomahawk  of  his  savage  antagonist.  It  missed 
him.  He  drew  his  pistol,  shot  his  enemy  in  the  head,  and 
they  both  fell  together.  This  version  of  the  mode  of  Te- 
cumseh^s  death  is  now  questioned.  Major  Thompson,  on 
whom  the  command  devdved,  after  the  fall  of  Colonel 
Johnson,  continued  to  direct  the  fight.  It  was  long  and 
■obstinate.  The  savages  finally  fled,  and  numbers  of  them 
were  cut  down  by  the  cavalry  in  their  flight. 

Among  the  singular  trophies  of  this  victory  were  sev- 
eral pieces  of  brass  cannon,  which  bad  been  taken  from 
Burgoyue  at  Saratoga,  surrendered  by  General  Hull  with 
Detroit,  and  now  returned  again  to  the  Americans.    The 
victory  was  complete,  and  the  result  was  all  that  could  be 
expected,  or  desired  from  it.    Michigan  was  recovered. 
The  British  force  in  Upper  Canada  was  broken  down. 
The  savages  that  had  depended  upon  the  British  there, 
were  intimidated,  and  their  connexion  with  them  broken 
up  and  destroyed.     The  prophet,  a  most  powerful  and  in- 
veterate enemy  of  the  United  States — Tecumseh,  the  re- 
morseless and  intrepid  leader,  whose  hostility  had  wrought 
so  much  mischief  to  us — these  chiefs  no  longer  in  being 
to  lead  them  to  battle,  the  confidence  of  the  Indians  sunk 
at  once,  and  must  of  them  made  terms  with  the  conquer- 
ing General.     The  general  result  to  the  west  was,  that 
iVie  frontier  people  were  relieved  from  their  well  founded 
apprehonsions.     They  no  longer  mistook  by  night  the 
howl  of  the  wild  beasts  for  that  of  the  savages.    They 
returned  in  peace  to  their  habitations,  their  confidence, 
and  accustomed  pursuits. 
►        While  these  events  were  occurring  on  the  northern 
frontier,  the  Indians  of  the  west  and  of  the  upper  Iklissis- 
sippi  were  not  idle.    There  can  seldom  be  a  movement  of 
the  savages  in  one  quarter,  without  exciting  a  simultaneous 


son  was  sti 


__.J3«2:iSS- 


m\ 


OP  tKfi  WEST, 


W 


movement  of  them  in  another  quarter.  The  incursions  of 
the  northern  and  western  Indians  were  so  severe  upon  the 
frontiers  of  Illinois  and  Missouri)  that  many  of  the  inci<» 
pient  settlemants  in  both  those  territories  were  broken  up. 
The  Indians  often  extended  their  ravaf^es  to  the  central 
villages  of  those  regions.  A  band  of  Sacs,  Foxes,  and 
Pottawattomies,  ranged  through  Missouri,  and  committed 
a  great  numbei  of  the  most  atrocious  murders.  In  some 
instances,  whole  families  were  destroyed,  and  their  ac-^ 
customed  fury  was  let  loose  upon  women  and  children.  A 
considerable  force  of  mounted  rangers  was  raised  in  the 
two  territories.  They  were  active  and  vigilant  in  scour- 
ing the  frontiers,  and  in  repressing  the  savage  incursions. 

Meanwhile  the  war  with  the  Creeks  still  raged  in  the 
south.  After  the  battle  of  Tallushatchee,  General  Jack-  ^ 
son  was  still  waiting  in  the  Indian  country  for  the  junction 
of  the  troops  from  East  Tennessee.  Intelligence  was 
despatched  to  him,  that  the  hostile  Indians  had  arrived  be- 
fore Talladega,  a  fort  or  town  of  friendly  Indians.  These 
Indians  had  incurred  their  peril  by  their  fidelity  to  the 
United  Statts.  Honor  and  policy  alike  forbade  that  they 
should  be  sacrificed.  Genera!  Jackson,  although  pain- 
fully disappointed  in  his  expectations  of  the  junction  of 
forces  from  East  Tennessee,  marched  directly  to  the  aid 
of  the  friendly  Indians.  The  force  of  the  Americans  was 
not  far  from  one  thousand  eight  hundred. 

On  the*  8th  of  December,  1813,  at  one  in  the  mornigg, 
the  army  began  crossing  the  river,  behind  which  the  In- 
dians were  posted.    It  was  here  six  hundred  yards  wide, 
and  of  course  to  cross  it  was  a  work  of  difficulty,  as  well 
as  time.    The  next  day  at  four  in  the  morning  the  army^^ 
was  again  in  motion.    The  infantry  proceeded  in  tbree^^ 
columns ;  the  cavalry  in  the  same  order.    The  advance, 
consisting  of  a  company  of  artillerists,  with  muskets,  two 
companies  of  riflemen,  and  one  of  spies,  marched  about 
four  hundred  yards  in  front,  under  the  command  of  Colo- 
nel  Carroll,  with  orders,  after  commencing  the  action,  to    H 
fall  back  on  the  centre,  and  draw  :.he  enemy  after  them. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Dyer  was  placed  in  the  centre,  with 
twc  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry,  as  a  corps  of  reserve.  The 


ISriiS!: 


■  i„; 


188 


INDIAN  WARS 


• 


remainder  of  the  maunted  troops'were  directed  to  advance 
on  the  right  and  left,  after  encircling  the  enemy,  by  uniting 
the  fronts  of  thsir  culumns,  and  keeping  their  rear  rested 
on  the  infantry,  to  face  and  press  towards  the  centre,  so 
as  to  leave  the  savages  no»possib"ility  of  escape.  The  re- 
mainder of  tha  army  advanced  by  heads  of  companies, 
General  Hall's  brigade  occupying  the  right,  and  General 
Roberts'  the  left. 

At  eight  in  the  morning,  the  advance,  within  eighty 
yards  of  the  enemy,  received  a  severe  fire  from  them, 
concealed  as  they  were,  behind  a  thick  shrubbery.  They 
returned  if,  and  according  to  their  instructions,  fell  back 
upon  the  centre.  The  enemy,  with  their  customary  yells 
and  whoops,  rushed  upon  General  Roberts'  brigade,  a  few 
companies  of  which  recoiled  in  alarm,  and  fled  at  the  first 
fire.  To  fill  the  chasm  created  by  this  desertion,  the  com- 
manding gen;;^ral  directed  a  volimteer  regiment  of  Colonel 
Bradley,  which  appeared  to  linger,  to  advance  and  occupy 
the  vacant  space.  This  order  was  not  executed  by  Brad- 
ley. Owing  to  this  failure,  it  became  necessary  to  dis- 
mount the  reserve,  which  met  the  rapid  approach  of  the 
enemy  with  great  firmness.  This  example  inspirited  the 
retreating  militia,  who  rallied,  and  assisted  in  checking 
the  advance  of  the  savages.  Ou  the  left  they  were  met 
and  repulsed  by  the  mannted  riflemen.  But,  owing  to  the 
dilatory  movements  of  the  volunteer  regiment,  and  the 
toip  extensive  circuit  made  by  Colonel  Allcorn,  who  com- 
manded the  cavalry  of  that  wing,  the  intended  circle  was 
not  so  closed  but  that  a  number  of  the  enemy  escaped  in 
the  interval. 

The  savages  fought  with  determined  spirit  for  some 
''time,  and  then  retreated  for  the  adjacent  hills.  Many  of 
them  fell  in  this  retreat,  and  the  slaughter  did  not  cease 
until  they  were  sheltered  among  the  hills,  at  the  distance 
of  three  miles.  General  Jackson,  in  his  report,  bestowed 
the  highest  commendation'*  on  the  ofticers  and  soldiers  gen- 
erally. He  mentioned  Colonel  Carroll  and  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Dyer  in  terms  of  high  praise  for  the  spirited  gal- 
lantry with  which  they  met  and  repulsed  the  enemy;  sta- 
ting that  both  officers  and  privates  had  answered  hii 


would  caus 


OF  THE  WfiST. 


169 


highest  expectations,  and  merited  the  gratitude  of  their 
country. 

The  enemy  brought  one  thousand  and  eighty  to  this 
battle,  of  whom  two  hundred  and  ninety-three  were  killed 
on  the  field.  It  is  supposed  th%t  many  were  killed  in  the 
flight.  Few  escaped  unwounded.  Their  whole  loss,  as 
since  stated  by  themselves,  was  about  six  hundred.  The 
American  force  lost  fifteen  killed,  and  eighty  wounded,  of 
whom  many  aflerwards  died. 

A  scene  ensued  this  victory  that  would  be  difficult  to 
describe.  The  friendly  Indians  had  been  besieged  close* 
ly  for  several  days.  They  were  a  handful  surrounded  by 
infuriated  enemies.  Torture  and  the  most  horrible  death 
were  in  reserve  for  them,  as  the  certain  consequence  of 
surrender.  la  their  siege,  they  endured  every  privation, 
particularly  the  dreadful  one  of  water.  They  were  relie- 
ved on  the  very  day  when  an  assault  was  to  have  been 
made  upon  them,  which  would  almost  inevitably  have  re- 
sulted in  the  destruction  of  every  one  of  them.  Their 
deliverance  was  one  of  the  few  occasions  that  melts  even 
the  savage  heart  to  tenderness  and  joy.  The  manifesta- 
tions were  affecting.  Famished  as  they  had  been,  they 
sold  their  provisions  for  the  supply  of  the  famished  troops 
of  General  Jackson. 

Imagination  can  scarcely  conjure  up  moire  difficulties 
than  those  v/hich  the  General  had  to  encounter  in  this 
caAipaign.  General  Cocke,  who  commanded  the  troops 
from  Bast  Tennessee,  was,  like  General  Jackson,  a.Major 
General,  having  apparently  a  separate  and  independent 
command,  and  charged  with  precisely  the  same  objects- — 
to  avenge  the  injuries  of  the  country,  and  punish  the  sav- 
age Toe.  He  seems  to  have  been  equally  hearty  in  the 
cause.  His  reasons  for  attempting  a  separate  campaign 
were,  that  on  joining  his  troops  to  those  of  General  Jack- 
son, adding  the  number  of  so  many  mouths  to  be  filled, 
would  cause  the  famine  that  already  prevailed  in  his 
camp,  to  press  still  more  heavily  on  the  trojps  of  both 
Generals;  and  that  in  an  unite. 1  command  the  former 
would  gain  all  the  laurels. 

Looking  in  vain  for  aid  from  that  Quarter,  suffering 


:^M 


■■-a 


IM 


190 


INDIAN  WARS 


• 


• 


personally  from  famine  at  his  own  table,  and  still  more 
from  witnessing  the  privations  of  the  camp,  and  the  mu- 
tinous and coraplainingspirit  of  insubordination,  so  natu- 
ral to  men,  situated  as  were  the  troops  from  Tennessee, 
the  General  was  obliged  to  turn  his  back  upon  all  the  ad- 
vantages already  gained,  and  to  retreat  under^he  aspect 
of  defeat,  rather  than  of  victory. 

All  these  dilBculties  were  increased  by  the  p.rtsof  some 
officers  among  his  troops,  who  believing  that  the  campaign 
was  about  to  break  up,  wished  to  be  the  first  to  return 
home,  and  render  themselves  popular  by  being  the  heralds 
of  their  own  exploits,  and  by  taking  part  in  the  complaints 
of  the  soldiers.  The  otBcers  and  soldiers  of  the  militia, 
collecting  in  their  tents,  and  talking  over  their  grievances, 
finally  determined  to  abandon  the  camp,  and  return  home. 
The  general  had  immediate  warning  of  their  purpose,  and 
was  determiner!  at  every  hazard  to  prevent  it.  At  the  mo- 
ment when  they  had  determined  to  carry  their  intentions 
into  effect,  they  beheld  the  volunteers,  with  the  General  at 
their  head,  in  front  of  them,  with  positive  commands  to 
prevent  their  advancing,  and  to  compel  them  to  return  to 
their  camp.  This  decision  and  energy  overawed  them, 
and  they  returned  to  their  camp,  not  only  without  mur- 
muring, but  extolling  iheunalterable  firmness  of  their  Gen- 
eral. 

The  next  day  presented  a  different  spectacle.  The 
volunteers,  who  had  been  the  day  before  the  instruments 
of  compelling  the  militia  to  return  to  their  duty,  particpa- 
ting  with  them  in  the  same  discontents,  and  secretly  wish- 
ing well  to  the  cause,  began  in  turn  to  mutiny  themselves. 
Knowing  the  disaffection  of  the  militia,  they  deemed  that 
when  their  discontents  were  manifest,  there  would  be  no 
power  in  the  hands  of  the  General  to  prevent  their  carry- 
ing their  plans  into  effect.  To  their  surprise,  they  found 
the  militia  disposed  to  return  the  good  offices  which  they 
had  received ;  and  when  they  had  made  all  their  arrange- 
ments to  move  off,  they  found  the  militia  between  them  and 
their  purposes,  manifesting  a  fixed  determination  to  obey 
the  orders  of  their  general.  They  fell  in  with  the  example 
which  hadNbeen  placed  before  them  tha  day^  before,  and 
moved  back  in  quietness  to  their  quarters. 


OF  THE  WEST. 


191 


Part  of  these  amusing  results  may  be  ascribed  topiquo, 
and  the  grai;6cation  which  the  parties  alternately  felt,  in 
being  able  to'.hwarl  the  views  of  those  who  had  so  lately 
crossed  their  own.  Added  to  this,  they  were  conscioua 
that  they  had  complained  beyond  their  causes  for  complaint. 
They  were  anxious,  from  a  great  and  mixed  variety  of  mo- 
tives, to  return  to  their  homes.  But  the  militia  appear  to 
have  stopped  short  in  their  mutinous  spirit  socner  than 
the  volunteers.  To  the  latter  there  seemed  no  alternative 
between  carrying  their  point  and  dishonor.  They  were 
anxious  that  their  calise  should  prcsper,  that  it  might  seem 
to  be  founded  in  justice.  The  wishes  of  the  cavalry  to 
return  had  such  a  just  foundation,  from  the  impossibility 
of  procurmg  forage,  that  on  a  solemn  pledge  by  their 
platoon  and  field  othcers,  that  they  would  return  as  soon  as 
their  horses  were  recruited,  and  themselves  furnished  with 
winter  clothing.  General  Jackson  granted  their  request, 
and  they  immediately  set  out  on  their  return. 

The  discontent  was  smothered  for  the  moment,  but  it 
was  not  quenched;  and  the  General  was  aware  that  on  a 
favorable  occasion  it  would  be  sure  to  burst  forth  again. 
His  prospects  of  supply  were  brightened  by  letters,  just  re- 
ceived from  the  contractors,  that  provisions  for  the  army 
were  then  on  the  road,  and  would  shortly  arrive  in  the  camp. 
Under  these  circumstances  he  assembled  his  troops,  and 
addressed  them  in  the  most  energetic  and  animating  terms, 
imploring  them  by  every  consideration  to  follow  up  the 
blow  they  had  struck;  promising  them,  that  if  supplies  did 
not  arrive  in  two  days,  he  would  himself  march  back  with 
them;  requesting  them  to  reflect  seriously  upon  the  subject 
during  the  following  night,  and  let  him  know  the  result  of 
their  intentions  on  thei  succeeding  morning.  On  retiring 
lo  their  tents,  and  deliberating  on  the  measures  proper  to 
be  adopted  on  this  emergency,  the  officers  of  the  volunteers 
concluded  that  nothing  short  of  marching  the  army  imme- 
diately back  to  the  settlements  could  prevent  the  disgrace 
which  must  attend  a  forcible  desertion  of  the  camp  by  the 
soldiers.  The  officers  of  the  militia  d'^termincd  differently, 
and  were  willing  to  remain  until  ii  ould  be  ascertained 
whether  a  supply  of  provisions  could  be  had.    *  If  it  can,' 


mM 


V.'-'u^P'!' 


%^<J!l 


V        I'J 


m 


102 


INDIAN  WARd 


m 


said  they,  Met  us  proceed  with  the  campaign.  If  not,  let 
us  be  marched  back  where  it  can  be  procured.'  The  Gen- 
eral, who  greatly  preferred  Ihe  latter  opinion,  was  never- 
theless disposed  to  gratify  those  who  appeared  unwilling  to 
submit  to  further  hardships,  and  he  ordered  General  Hall 
to  march  his  brigade  to  fort  Deposit,  where  a  supply  of 
provisions  was  collected,  and  after  satisfying  their  own 
wants,  to  return,  as  an  escort  to  the  provisions.  The  se- 
cond regiment,  however,  unwilling  to  be  outdone  by  the 
militia,  consented  to  remain,  and  the  first  proceeded  alone. 
On  this  occasion  the  General  could  not  forbear  to  remark, 
*  that  men,  for  whom  he  had  cherished  so  warm  an  affec- 
tion, and  for  whcm  at  all  times  he  would  have  been  willing 
to  make  any  sacrifice,  desiring  to  abandon  him  at  a  mo- 
ment when  their  presence  was  so  particularly  necessary, 
filled  him  with  emotions  which  language  was  too  feeble  to 
express.' 

The  two  days  had  elapsed  since  the  departure  of  the 
volunteers,  and  no  supplies  had  arrived.  The  militia  de- 
manded, that  the  pledge  which  had  been  given  them,  that 
they  should  le  marched  back,  should  be  redeemed.  The 
pledge  had  been  given  under  the  confident  expectation 
that  the  provi«icns  would  arrive  within  the  two  days.  No- 
thing now  remained,  however,  but  to  redeem  the  pledge. 
It  was  a  moment  of  deep  dejection  to  the  General.  All 
the  objects  on  which  his  heart  had  been  so  earnestly  fLxcd, 
were  apparently  about  to  escape  him,  if  his  men  should 
abandon  him,  and  he  be  compelled  to  relinquish  his  con- 
quests to  the  possession  of  the  enemy.  While  indulging 
these  gloomy  meditations,  he  exclaimed  earnestly  and 
aloud,  'If  only  two  men  will  remain  with  me,  I  will  never 
abandon  this  post.'  Captain  Gordon,  of  the  spies,  face- 
tiously replied,  *You  have  cne.  General.  Let  us  see,  if 
we  cannot  find  another,-'  and  immediately,  with  a  zeal 
suited  to  the  occasion,  he  undertook  with  some  of  the  gene- 
ral stafi'to  rais&  volunteers,  and  in  a  little  while  succeeded 
in  procuring  cne  hundred  and  nine,  who  pledged  them- 
selves to  remain  and  protect  the  post.  The  General,  de- 
lighted with  the  idea  4hat  he  should  not  be  compelled  to 
abandon  his  position,  ma>ched  towards  fort  Deposit  with 


Orp  THE  WEST. 


1^3 


the  remainder  of  the  army,  with  the  distinct  understanding, 
that  on  meeting  supplies,  they  were  to  return  and  prose- 
ci^te  the  campaign.  They  had  not  marched  more  than 
twelve  miles,  when  they  met  one  hundred  and  fitly 
beeves.  A  sight  which  gave  the  General  so  much  delight, 
was  to  the  discontented  equally  unwelcome.  Their  faces 
were  towards  home,  apd  the  prospect  of  returning  back  to 
the  war  was  hateiul.  As  soon  as  their  devouring  appe- 
tites were  appeased,  they  were  ordered  to  return  to  their 
encampment.  Low  murmurings  ran  along  the  lines,  and 
presently  broke  out  into  open  mutiny.  One  company  was 
already  moving  off  in  a  direction  towards  home.  As  soon 
as  the  General  was  informed  of  this,  he  pursued  them  with 
a  part  of  his  staff,  and  a  few  soldiers  with  General  Coffee, 
who  had  halted  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  advance.  He  or- 
dered them  immediately  to  form  across  the  road,  and  to  fire 
on  the  mutineers,  if  they  attempted  to  proceed.  Snatch- 
ing up  their  arms,  these  faithful  adherents  presented  a 
front  which  awed  the  deserters,  and  caused  them  to  retreat 
precipitately  on  the  main  body.  But  the  example  of  mu- 
tiny was  contagious.  He  soon  ascertained  that  a  whole 
brigade  was  in  the  attitude  of  marching  tack  by  force.  In 
this  crisis,  having  taken  his  ground,  he  determined  to  tri- 
umph or  perish.  Seizing  a  musket,  and  resting  it  on  the 
neck  bf  his  horse,  for  he  was  disabled  by  a  wound  from 
the  use  of  his  left  arm,  he  threw  himself  in  front  of  the 
mutinous  column,  and  declared  that  he  would  shoot  the 
first  man  who  should  venture  to  advance.  In  this  situa- 
tion he  was  found  by  Major  Reid  and  General  Coffee, 
who,  judging  from  the  length  of  his  absence,  that  some 
disturbance  had  arisen,  hastened  to  his  side,  and  waited 
the  result  of  his  perilous  determination,  in  the  anxious  sus:-"* 
pense  of  expectation.  For  many  minutes  the  column  pre- 
served a  sullen,  yet  hesitating  attitude,  at  once  fearing  to 
proceed,  and  reluctant  to  retreat.  In  the  mean  time,  those 
who  remained  faithful  to '' eir  duty,  amounting  to  about 
two  com[>anics,  were  collected  and" formed  in  renr  of  the 
General,  and  in  advance  of  the  troops,  with  positive  orders 
to  imitate  his  example  in  firing,  if  they  attempted  to  ad- 
vance.    The  timidity,  resulting  from  the  consciousness  rX 

17 


j?»a' 


V:''-     A 


P-m 


•5^?  • 


^\m 


**  \ 


104 


INDIAN  WARS 


a  bad  cause,  prevailed.  They  returned  quietly  to  their 
posts.  This  firmness,  at  this  critical  moment,  undoubtedly 
saved  the  campaign,  and  perhaps  determined  the  issue  of 
the  war.  There  are  but  few  men  who  could  have  adopted 
such  a  course  with  safety. 

Shortly  after  the  battle  of  Talladega,  the  Hillabee  tribes, 
who  had  suffered  most  severely  on  that  occasion,  sued  for 
peace.  General  Jackson  sternly  demanded  the  proper 
reparation  and  submission,  assurmg  them  that  fort  Mimms 
should  long  be  remembered  by  them  in  bitterness  and 
tears,  but  informing  them,  that  on  manifestation  of  sin- 
cerity in  their  desires  for  peace,  (le  was  not  disposed  to 
make  war  on  those  who  were  willing  to  become  our 
friends. 

But  before  this  answer  arrived  among  them.  General 
White  had  attacked  and  destroyed  their  town,  killing  sixty, 
and  making  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  prisoner s.  This  un- 
fortunate circumstance  contributed  to  the  desperation  with 
which  the  Creeks  afterwards  fought.  They  had  asked  for 
peace  on  the  General's  own  terms.  -  Finding  themselves 
attacked  under  such  circumstances,  it  produced  among 
them  the  false  conviction,  that  no  submission  would  avail 
them,  and  they  considered  it  as  a  war  of  extermination. 
There  is  no  instance  afterwards  of  their  asking  for  quarter, 
or  manifesting  a  disposition  to  receive  it. 

We  have  been  thus  particular  in  giving  the  details  of 
the  first  diiliculties  and  mutinies  ^vhich  General  Jackson 
had  to  encounter  at  the  commencement  of  the  Creek  war, 
as  they  serve  as  accurate  samples  of  all  his  subsequent 
difficulties  in  bringing  this  war  to  a  successful  termination. 

They  remind  us  of  the  trials  which  Washington  had  to 
^  endure,  in  prosecuting  the  war  of  the  revolution.  His 
soldiers  were  little  accustomed  to  any,  even  the  most 
necessary  control.  They  were  full  fed,  and  much  accuE- 
tomed  to  spend  their  time  at  their  own  discretion  at  home. 
Their  enlistments  were  for  periods  too  limited.  The 
arrangements  of  the  contractors  for  supplies  were  grossly 
mismanaged.  Some  of  the  officers  were  no  better  than 
partisans.  So  formidable  were  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  prosecuting  the  campaign,  that  even  the  Governor  advi- 


OP  THE  WEST. 


1*96 


sed  its  abandonment.  The  troops  were  not  certain  whether 
they  were  to  look  to  the  general  government,  or  that  of 
their  state,  for  their  pay;  or  whether  they  might  not  ulti- 
mately fail  of  being  paid  by  either.  On  tho  12th  of  De- 
cember, General  Cocke  arrived  with  one  thousand  five 
hundred  men;  but  it  was  found  that  they  wore  not  brought 
into  the  field  under  the  requisition  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States;  that  the  term  of  service  of  a  great  part  of 
them  would  expire  in  a  few  days,  and  the  whole  in  a  few 
weeks.  Mutiny  succeeded  to  mutiny,  and  such  was  the 
general  gloom  of  the  prospect,  that  a  man  of  any  other 
temperament  and  character  than  that  of  General  Jackson 
would  have  yielde  )to  the  advice  of  Governor  Blount,  and 
wearied  and  disgusted  with  quelling  mutiny  in  one  form 
to-day,  only  to  see  it  renewed  in  another  to-morrow,  would 
have  abandoned  the  enterprise  forever. 

Not  so  General  Jackson.  He  harangued  his  troopsT — 
He  appealed  to  every  motive  that  can  influence  the  human 
heart — their  honor,  their  patriotism,  their  avarice,  and 
their  fears  in  turn.  Tne  more  obstacles  and  impediments 
arose  before  him,  the  more  firmly  he  attached  himself  to 
the  cause.  In  one  instance,  he  ordered  the  arrest  of  a 
muthious  officer,  LieiUenant  Kearly,  and  demanded  his 
sword.  His  reply  was,  *that  he  was  a  free  man,  not  sub- 
ject to  the  orders  of  General  Jackson,  or  any  other  per- 


son 


.1 


declaring,  at  the  same  tiiue,  that  his  sword  should 


protect  him  on  his  way  to  Tennessee.  The  guards,  who 
were  ordered  to  arrest  him,  cocked  their  guns.  Lieutenant 
Kearly  and  his  men  did  the  same.  The  General  hastened 
to  the  scene,  and  demanded  Kearly 's  sword  in  person, 
which  he  persisted  to  refuse.  The  General  snatched  a 
pistol  from  his  holster,  and  was  levelling  it  at  the  breast 
of  Kearly,  when  friends  interposed,  and  he  was  induced 
to  surrender  his  sword.  During  the  crisis,  both  parties 
were  prepared  to  fire,  and  a  scene  of  bloodshed  was  nar-^ 
flowly  escaped.  Under  these  discouragements,  and  the 
departure  of  the  troops  from  East  Tennessee,  for  their 
homes,  and  the  scattering  away  of  his  forces,  he  was  far. 
from  being  induced  to  despond,  and  he  was  determined  to^ 


■  Wh 


l! :  t  r  ,1*! 

m 


■** 


106 


INPIAN  WARS 


prosecute  the  campaign,  with  the  feeble  force  still  remail^ 
ing  with  him. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1814,  Colonel  Carroll  and  Mr. 
Blackburn  arrived  at  head  quarters,  reporting  the  approach 
of  eight  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers.  These  men  had 
scarcely  arrived,  and  chosen  Colonels  Perkins  and  Hig- 
gins  to  command  them,  when  these  othcers  refused  to 
march  their  regiments  to  head  quarters  under  command  o( 
General  Coffee.  There  was  no  small  ditficulty  in  quelling 
this  mutiny,  and  it  was  not  until  the  13lh  of  the  month,  that 
these  officers  arrived  at  head  quarters  witli  their  regiments. 
The  whole  effective  forca  at  this  time  consisted,  according 
to  the  report,  of  only  nine  hundred  men,  and  was  in  reali- 
ty short  of  that  number. 

On  the  15th,  the  troops  commenced  their  march,  and 
moved  to  Wehogee  creek,  three  miles  from  fort  Strolher. 
At  Talladega  he  was  joined  by  two  hundred  friendly  In- 
dians, badly  armed,  and  discoui'aged  at  the  weakness  of 
the  united  force.  A  thousand  men,  under  such  circum- 
stances, were  led  into  the  heart  of  an  enemy  ^s  country, 
with  no  possible  hope  of  escape,  but  from  victory.  To 
march  seemed  now  tlje  only  alternative,  although  it  was 
a  course  so  full  of  peril.  To  irirch  was  necessary,  to 
afford  u  diversion  favorable  to  General  Floyd,  who  was 
advancing  from  Georgia  with  an  army  against  the  Creeks. 
Another  reason  rendered  this  course  indispensable..  Tho 
officer  commanding  at -fort  Armstrong,  had  received  intel- 
ligence, on  which  the  utmost  reliance  was  placed,  that  the 
warriors  fiom  fourteen  or  fifteen  towns  on  the  Tallapoosa 
wereabout  to  combine  their  forces,  and  attack  that  place. 
For  the  want  of  a  sufficient  garrison,  it  was  in  a  defence- 
less condition.  On  reachiug^  Tdlladega,.the  General  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  the  commander  at  fort  Armstrong, 
confirming  the  report,  that  this  depot  was  about  to  be 
attacked.  He  was  also  informed,  by  an  express  from 
General  Pinckney,  that  General  Floyd  was  moving  on  the 
Creek  country,  and  would  shortly  be  a.t  Tuckabatcha. 
The  express  desired  him,  for  various  reasons,  to  advance 
upon  such  of  the  Creek.  to\yas  as  mi^ht  b^  within  striking 
distance  from  him. 


more  sei 


OF*  THE  WEST. 


197 


Had  he  hcRitated  before,  these  advices  would  have  deci- 
ded him.  It  was  understood,  that  tl^e  hostile  force  was 
collected  in  a  bend  of  the  Tallapoosa,  near  the  mouth  of 
a  creek,  called  Eriiuckfaw.  On  that  ?>oint  he  marched  by 
the  shortest  route.  As  he  advanced,  he  became  more  and 
more  sensible  of  the  ignora.nce  of  his  guides,  and  the  in- 
experience and  insubordination,  both  of  his  otlicers  and 
troops.  But  they  were  in  high  spirits,  and  anxious  to  meet 
the  enemy.  On  the  21st,  the  General  encamped  his  small 
force  on  the  eminences,  that  overlooked  Emuckfaw,  and 
made  every  preparation  against  an  attack.  At  midnight, 
spies  reported  that  they  had  discovered  a  large  encamp- 
ment of  Indians,  at  three  miles  distance,  yelling  and  dan- 
cing in  a  manner  to  indicate  that  they  were  apprised  of 
his  arrival.  At  the  dawn  of  the  next  morning,  the  alui  m 
guns  of  the  sentinels,  succeeded  by  shrieks  ond  savage 
yells,  announced  the  attack  of  the  enemy.  Their  iTusi 
assault  was  on  the  left  flank,  commanded  by  Colonel  Hig- 
gms.  It  was  met.  and  opposed  with  great  firmness.  Gen- 
eral Coffee  and  Colonels  Carrc^l  and  Sitler  instantly  re- 
paired to  the  point  of  attack,  and  by  example  and  exhor- 
tation encouraged  the  men  to  their  duty.  The  action 
raged  for  half  an  hour.  The  brunt  of  it  being  against 
the  left  wing,^  it  had  become  considerably  weakened.  The 
first  part  of  the  action  had  taken  place  during  the  dimness 
of  twilight..  The  clear  light  of  the  morning,  showing  the 
position  of  the  enemy,  and  Captain  FerriPs  company  hav- 
ing reinforced  the  left  wing.  General  Coffee  directed  a 
charge,  and  a  rout  immediately  ensued.  The  enemy  were 
pursued  two  miles. 

The  General  immediately  detached  General  Coffee, 
with  the  friendly  Indians  and'four  hundred  men,  to  storm 
the  enemy^s  encampment,  unless  it  should  be  found  too 
strongly  fortified,  in  which  case  he  proposed^to  bring  up 
the  artillery.  Coffee,  having  reconnoitered  the  position, 
and  found  it  too  strongly  fortified  to  be  assailed  with  his 
force,  returned  to  camp.  H&had  not  returned  nK>re  than 
half  an  hour,  when  a  fire  was  opened  on  the  piquets  on  the 
right,  accompanied  with  the  usual  savage  yells.  General 
Gofl^  volunteered  his  services  to  move  upon  the  leH  fiank. 

17* 


^fi^'\ 


ill' 


ft..- 


Id8 


INDIAN  WARS 


of  the  assailants.  His  detachment  was  taken  from  difler- 
ent  corfr'.  He  placed  himself  at  their  head,  and  moved 
rapidly  upon  the  foe.  While  he  was  thus  occupied,  the 
rear  of  his  force  had  an  opportunity  to  slip  away  unper- 
ceived,  until  the  whole  number  did  not  exceed  fifty  men. 
He  found  the  enemy  occupying  a  ridge  of  open  pine  tim- 
ber,, covered  with  low  underbrush,  which  afforded  them 
every  opportunity  for  concealment.  To  drive  them  from 
their  lurking  places,  General  Coffee  ordered  his  men  to 
dismount,  and  charge  them.  In  carrying  this  order  into 
execution,  the  General  was  wounded  through  the  body, 
and  his  aid,  Major  Danelson,  killed. 

This  was  followed  by  a  violent  onset  on  the  line  of  the 
left.  General  Jackson  repaired  in  person  to  the  point  of 
attack.  The  battle  was  maintained  by  the  assailants  by 
quick  and  irregular  firing  from  behind  logs,  trees,  shrub- 
bery, and  whatever  could  afford  concealment.  Behind 
these,  they  prostrated  themselves^  after  firing,  to  reload, 
and  rise,  and  fire  again.  After  sustain  ing  this  fire  for  some 
time,  a  brilliant  and  steady  charge,  under  Colonel  Carroll, 
broke  their  array,  threw  them  into  confusion,  and  caused 
them  to  fly.  Their  loss^  though  it  was  certainly  conside- 
rable, was  not  exactly  known. 

On  the  right.  General  Coffee  had  not  been  able  to  drive 
them  from  their  fastnesses  to  his  wish;  and  with  a  view  to 
draw  them  from  their  retreat,  he  affected  to  re' ire  towards 
the  place  where  he  had  first  dismounted.  This  stratagem 
had  the  desired  eflfect.  They  forsook  their  hiding  places, 
and  advanced  rapidly  upon  him.  The  fight  was  renewed 
again  on  equal  terms.  A  severe  contest  ensued,  which 
lasted  almost  an  hour,  with  nearly  the  same  loss  on  each 
side.  At  this  crisis,  when  several  of  the  detachment  had 
been  killed,  many  wounded,  and  the  whole  Was  exhausted 
with  fatigue,  a  timely  reinforcement  from\General  Jackson 
made  its  appearance  on  the  enemy ^s  left  flank,  ai$d  put  an 
end  to  the  contest.  General  Coffee,  although  severely 
wounded,  instantly  ordered  a  charge,  from  which  the  ene- 
my fled  in  conslornation,  and  were  pursued  with  great 
slaughter.  At  this  place,  few,  if  any,  escaped.  It  was 
a  day  of  almost  continual  hard  fighting.  «  ' 


OF  THE  WEST. 


19^ 


The  oiglit,  that  drew  on  after  such  a  day,  amid  the* 
gloom  of  the  forest,  would  naturally  be  dispiriting  to  troops,' 
most  of  whom  had  never  before  seen  an  enemy,  or  formed 
a  distinct  idea  of  the  horrors  of  a  battle.  The  spirits  of 
the  men  were  observed  visibly  to  flag,  as  the  darkness 
increased.  During  the  night,  at  even  the  least  noise,  the 
sentinels  would  hre  their  alarm  guns,  and  retreat  upon  the 
main  body.  General  Jackson,  having  accomplished  the 
main  objects  of  the  expedition,  a  diversion  in  favor  of 
General  Floyd,  and  the  relief  of  fort  Armstrong,  began  to 
think  of  returning  to  his  former  station  at  the  Ten  Islands. 
The  impossibility  of  subsistence  for  men  and  horses,  where 
they  were,  rendered  this  measure  indispensable.  The 
appearance  of  a  retreat,  too,  would  probably  draw  the 
savages  from  their  strong  holds,  where  they  could  not  be 
attacked  with  his  present  force,  with  any  prospect  of  suc- 
cess. Every  arrangement  for  the  comfort  and  conveyance 
of  his  wounded  being  made,  he  began  his  retreat,  at  ten^ 
the  next  morning.  He  marched  without  interruption,  until 
nearly  night,  and  encamped  on  the,  south  side  of  Enoti- 
chopco  creek.  v 

The  next  day,  various  circumstances  instructed  the 
General  that  he  was  pursued.  The  delay  of  an  attack 
led  him  to  fear  that  he  was  marching  into  an  anrvbuscade. 
The  necessary  crossing  of  a  deep  ravine  between  two  hills, 
sheltered  with  thick  shrubbery  and  brown,  sedge,  affording 
a  most  favorable  concealment  for  savage  attack,  exposed 
him  to  an  ambuscade.  A  few  pioneers  were  despatched 
to  find  another  crossing,  place.  At  this  place^the  front 
guards,  and  part  of  the  columns,  had  passed,  and  th^  artil- 
lery was  crossing.  The  company  of  Captain  Russell, 
who  marched  in  the  rear,  was  suddenly  attacked  by  great- 
ly superior  numbers.  The  General  had  made  all  possible 
arrangements  for  the  emergency  of  an  attack  in  tl  *  (/laco, 
and  calcufated  on  a  certain  victory.  Great  was  his  aston- 
ishment, when  he  beheld  the  right  and  left  columns  of  the 
rearguard,  after  a  feeble  resistance,  giving  way,  carrying 
confusion  and  dismay  with  them,  and  obstructing  the  pas- 
sage overnvhich  ihe  principal  strength  of  the  army  was  to 
be  recrossed.     This  timid  deportment  was  well  nigh  being; 


200 


INDIAN  WAKS 


fi^lowed  with  the  most  fatal  consequences,  which  were 
<mly  prevented  by  the  determined  bravery  of  a  few  men. 
l^tearly  the  whole  of  the  centre  column  had  followed  the 
example  of  the  other  two.  Not  more  than  twenty  men 
remained  to  oppose  the  torrent  of  assault.  The  artillery 
company,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Armstrong,  and  com- 
posed of  young  rnen  of  the  first  families,  who  had  volun- 
teered their  services  at  the  commencement  of  the  campaign, 
formed  with  their  muskets  before  their  piece  of  ordnance, 
and  hastily  drugged  it  from  tho  creek  to  an  eminence, 
whence  tlipy  could  discharge  it  on  the  enemy  to  advan- 
tage. This  piece  they  defended  with  the  most  desperate 
bravery,  against  an  enemy  five  times  their  nnmber,  and 
diecked  the  advance  of  a  foe,  already  animated  from 
beholding  the  consternation  which  his  first  shock  had  pro- 
duced. The  brave  Armstrong  fell  beside  his  piece,  ex- 
claiming as  he  fell,  ^Some  of  you  must  perish ;  but  do  not 
abandon  the  gun.'  By  his  side  fell,  mortally  wounded, 
his  associate  ai^d  friend,  Bird  Evans,  and  the  gallant  Cap- 
tain Hamilton.  In  .t^  meantime.  General  -Jackson  and 
his  stafi',  by  the  greal4^exertions,  were  enabled  to  restore 
something  like  order^r  The  enemy,  pei-ceiving  a  strong 
force  advancing  upon  them,  and  being  warmly  assailed  on 
their  left  flank  by  Captain  Gordon,  at  the  head  of  his  spies, 
in  their  turn  were  stricken  with  alarm,  and  fled,  throwing 
away  whatever  retarded  their  flight.  They  were  pursued 
two  miles ;  many  were  destroyed,  and  the  remainder  wholly 
dispersed. 

The  huhest  praise  was  due,  and  was  given  to  General 
ColSe^  m  cof^sequence  of  the  wound  he  had  received  at 
Emuckfaw,  h^'was  carried  only  the  day  before  on  a  litter. 
He  was  this  day  on  horseback,  and  commanded  with  his 
usual  calm  and  deliberate  firmness.  On  this  crisis,  all 
etiquette  was  thrown  aside,  and  officers  and  men  each 
fought  in  the  place  where  his  services  seemed^to  be  ne- 
cessary. The  hospital  surgeon.  Dr.  Shelby,  rendered 
important  services  in  the  battle.  Captain  Gordon,  by  his 
opportune  sally  on  the  left  flank  of  the  savages,  essentially 
contributed  to  restore  the  fight.  The  Adjutant  General, 
Sitler,  displ  ayed  the  greatest  &rmueaa.    Of  General  Jack- 


•      -^  OF  THE  WEST. 

son^  it  is  but  justice  to  remark,  that  but  for  him,  rout  and 
ruin  mus  have  ensued.  Firm,  energetic  and  s<)lf-possea- 
sed,  he  was  alike  the  rallying  point  Tor  the  timid  and  the 
brave.  Amidst  showers  of  bails,  he  calmly  performed  the 
duties  of  subordinate  officers,  rallying  the  wavering,  ar- 
resting their  flight,  restoring  order  to  his  columns,  and 
inspiriting  them  by  his  example.  An  army  retreating 
in  dismay  was  thus  rescued  from  the  inevitable  destruc- 
tion that  must  have  ensued  from  a  rout.  The  American 
loss  was  twenty  killed  and  seventy-five  wounded,  some  of 
whom  afterwards  died.  Ths  loss  of  the  enemy  could  not 
be  accurately  ascertained.  Scattered  on  the  heights  and 
holktws,  many  of  the  wounded  escaped,,  and  many  of  the 
killed  were  not  found.  Their  prisoners  estimated  their 
loss  at  considerable  over  two  hundred,  although  they  en- 
deavored to  conceal  the  extent  of  it  among  themselves,  by 
representing  that  many  of  the  slain  were  gone  on  an  ex- 
pedition, that  they  might  thus  account  for  their  absence. 

The  army  returned  without  accident  to  fort  Strother. 
Fort  Armstrong  was  relieved,  and  such  a  diversion  had 
been  made  in  favor  of  General  Flc^^y  from  Georgia,  that 
he  had  been  enabled  to  gain  a  victory  over  the  savages  at 
AUIossee,  >\  here,  but  f jr  this  movement,  ho  would  have 
been  outnumbered  by  the  enemy,  and  would,  probably, 
have  experienced  a  defeat.  The  army  returned  triumph- 
ant, and  experience  has  proved  how  easily  the  ranks  of  a 
victorious  army  are  filled. 

This  army,  whose  term  of  service  had  nearly  expired, 
was  discharged.  The  spirif  of  the  people  was  roused, 
and  a  new  army  was  speedily  collected,  with^  longer 
period  of  enlistment.  A  renewal  of  the  difficulties  of  sup- 
plies and  of  insubordination  was  experienced,  though  in  a 
less  degree  than  at  the  commencement  of  the  former  cam- 
paign. These  evils,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  are  inevi- 
tably incidental  to  the  calling  into  service  inexperienced 
militia,  whose  submission  and  duties  aro  not  settled  by 
prescription,  who  are  subjected  to  conflicting  authorities, 
the  limits  of  which  are  not  well  defined,  and  who  con- 
stantly experience  in  the  camp  the  most  earnest  longings 
to  xeturu  home. 


902 


mmAvt  WARS 


The  severe  example  of  the  execution  of  a  mutinous 
private,  John  Woods,  had  a  most  salutary  effect  in  clieck- 
ing  the  incipient  spirit  of  mutiny,  and  probably  prevented 
a  second  edition  of  the  original  ditficulties  from  that  quar- 
ter. Bat  there  remained  anxieties  enough  to  leave  little 
repose  or  quietness  to  the  General.  The  East  Tennes- 
see brigade,  under  the  command  of  General  Doherty, 
manifested,  also,  symptoms  of  disaffection,  and  ^as  hardly 
restrained  from  returning  immediately  home.  One  hun- 
dred and  eighty  men  deserted  in  a  body.  To  put  an  end 
to  this  order  of  things,  General  Jackson  issued  an  order  to 
Greneral  Doherty,  to  arrest  and  send  to  fort  Strother,  under 
guard,  any  officer,  of  whatever  rank  he  might  be,  who 
idkould  be  found  in  his  camp,  attempting  to  incite  the  sol- 
diers to  mutiny. 

About  this  time.  Colonel  Dyer  was  detached  with  six 
hundred  men  to  the  head  of  the  Black  Warrior,  to  ascer- 
tain if  there  were  any  Indians  embodied  in  that  quarter, 
and  if  there  were,  to  disperse  them,  and  prevent  their 
■coming  on  in  the  rear  of  the  army.  This  detadiment 
marched  eight  days  along  the  ridges  of  the  Cahaba,  and 
fell  in  with  a  trail  of  the  enemy  passing  eastwardly ;  but 
being  able  to  gain  no  certain  information  of  them,  they 
desisted  from  the  pursuit,  and  returned  to  camp. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1814,  General  Jackson  had 
made  such  arrangements,  and  obtained  such  supplies,  as 
enabled  him  to  commence  his  march  for  the  enemy.  At 
the  mouth  of  Cedar  creek,  he  established  fort  Wiiliams. 
On  the  24th,  leaving  a  sufficient  force  for  the  protection  of 
the  fort,^nder  Brigadier  General  Johnson,  he  set  out  for 
the  Tallapoosa,  by  the  way  of  Emuckfaw.  His  whole 
effective  fores  was  something  less  than  three  thousand 
men.  At  ten  in  the  morning  of  the  27th,  after  a  march  of 
fifly-two  miles,  he  reached  the  village  of  Tohopeka.  The 
enemy  had  collected  here  in  considerable  numbers,  to  give 
him  battle.  The  warriors  from  Oakfudty,  Hillabee,  Eu- 
falee,  and  New  Youcka,  amounting  to  nearly  one  thousand 
two  hundred,  were  at  this  place  waiting  his  approach. 
They  had  selected  an  admirable  place  for  defence.  Situ- 
ated in  a  bei^d  of  the  river^  which  almost  surrounded  it,  it 


OF  THE  WEST. 


20ft 


wa»accessible  only  by  a  r.^rrow  neck  of  land.    This  they 
had  used  great  exertions  to  render  impregnable,  by  pla- 
cing large  timbers  and  trunks  of  trees  horizontally  on  each 
other,  leaving  but  a  single  place  for  entrance.     From  a 
double  row  of  port  holes,  they  were  enabled  to  fire  in  per- 
fect security  behind  it.     General  Coffee^  with  mounted 
infantry  and  friendly  Indians,  had  been  despatched  early 
in  the  morning,  to  encircle  the  bend,  and  manoeuvre  in  ' 
such  a  way  as  to  divert  the  savages  from  the  real  point  of 
attack.     He  was  particularly  directed  to  prevent  their 
escape  to  the  opposite  shore  in  their  canoes,  witk  which,  it 
was  represented,  the  whole  shore  was  lined.     The  Gene- 
ral posted  the  rest  of  his  army  in  front  of  the  breastwork. 
He  began  to  batter  their  breastworks  with  his  cannon.  ■. 
Muskets  and  riHes  were  used,  as  the  Indians  occasionally 
showed  themselves.     The  signals,  which  were  to  an- 
nounce that  General  Coffee  had  gained  his  destination, 
were  given.     The  soldiers  hailed  it  with  acclamations,  and 
advanced  with  the  intrepidity  of  veterans.     The  39th  re- 
giment, led  on  by  their  skillful  commander.  Colonel  Wil- 
liams, and  the  brave  but  ill-fated  Major  Montgomery,  and 
the  militia,  amidst  a  sheet  of  fire  that  poured  upon  them, 
rushed  forward  to  the  rampart.     Here  an  obstinate  and 
destructive  conflict  ensued.     In  firing  through  the  port 
holes  on  either  side,  many  of  the  enemy's  balls  were  wel- 
ded between  the  muskets  and  bayonets  of  our  soldiers. 
At  this  moment,  Major  Montgomery,  leaping  on  the  ranv- 
part,  called  to  his  men  to  follow  him.     Scarcely  had  he 
spoken,  when  he  was  shot  through  the  head,  and  fell.     Our 
troops  had  now  scaled  the  ramparts,  and  the  savages  fled 
before  them,  concealing  themselves  under  the  brush  and 
timber,  which  abounded  in  the  peninsula,  whence  they 
still  continued  a  galling  fire.    Here  they  were  charged, 
and  dislodged.    Their  next  alternative  was  their  canoes; 
but  they  perceived  that  a  pari  of  the  army  lined  the  oppo- 
site shoie,  and  precluded  escape  on  that  quarter.     They 
that  still  survived  the  conflict,  leaped  down  the  banks,  and 
took  shelter  behind  the  trees  which  had  been  felled  from 
their  margin.    A  flag,  with  an  interpreter,  was  here  sent 
them,  to  propose  a  surrender.    They  fired  upon  the  party, 


pi 


m 


■■« 


{M)4 


INDIAN  WARS 


and  wounded  one  of  them.  Ascertaining  their  despera- 
tion,  orders  were  given  to  dislodge  them.  The  brush  and 
trees  about  them  were  set  on  fire  by.  lighted  torches,  sent 
down  among  them,  and  the  blaze  drove  them  from  their 
hiding  places,  and  brought  them  to  view.  The  slaughter 
€K)ntinued,  until  night  concealed  the  combatants  from  each 
other.  A  few  of  the  misguided  savages,  who  had  avoided 
the  havoc  of  the  day,  made  their  escape  under  the  covert 
of  the  darkness.  The  friendly  Indians  contributed  not  a 
little  to  the  completeness  of  this  victory.  Several  of  the 
Cherokees,  and  Russell's  spies,  in  the  heat  of  the  action, 
swam  across  the  river,  and  fired  the  Indian  town  in  the 
rear  of  the  foe.  Thus  they  found  themselves  assailed  on 
every  side,  and  vulnerable  on  a  quarter  from  which  they 
had  not  expected  an  attack. 

This  battle  gave  a  death  blow  to  their  hopes ;  nor  did 
they  afterwards  venture  to  make  any  decided  stand.    Here 
they  had  strongly  fortified  themselves.     Here,  their  pro- 
phets had  led  them  to  believe,  that  they  were  secure  of  the 
aid  of  the  'Great  Spirit,'  and  invincible.     They  had  never 
met  with  so  severe  a  loss,  in  any  previous  engagement. 
Their  best  and  their  bravest  warriors  fell.     f*ew  escaped 
the  carnage.     Many  were  thrown  into  the  river,  while  the 
battle  raged.     Many  were  destroyed  by  Coffee's  brigade 
in  endeavoring  to  cross  it,  and  five  hundred  and  fifiy-seven 
were  found  dead  on  the  field.      Among  the  slain,  were 
three  of  the  prophets-     These  miserable  impostors,  with 
the  fantastic  and  magic  ffnery  of  'medicine  men,'  danced, 
and  howled,  and  prophesied,  and  kept  up  the  delusive  con- 
fidence of  the  savages  to  the  last.    Monohce,  one  of  the 
chief  of  them^fell,  with  a  cannon  shot  in  the  mouth,  at  the 
very  rnomem  when  uttering  his  incantations,  and  urging 
them  to  stand  to  the  fight.     Four  men  only,  and  three  hun- 
dred womitjn  and  children,  were  taken  prisoners.    The 
small  number  of  men  who  surrendered,  give  an  impressive 
view  of  the  desperation  with  which  they  fought.     The  as- 
sault by  the  troops  from  East  Tennessee  -pon  the  Hillabee 
clans,  after  they  had  sued  for  peace  on  our  own  terms,  had 
caused  them  to  relinquish  all  confidence  in  our  humanity, 
and  to  trust  to  nothing  but  bravery  and  despair.    Our  loss, 


OP  THE  WEST. 


205 


in  the  river;  for  lie  had 


mcluding  the  friendly  Indians,  was  fifty-five  killed,  and 
one  hundred  and  forty-six  wounded.  Among  the  former 
was  Major  Montgomery,  a  brave  and  promising  young 
officer  of  the  39th  regiment,  and  Lieutenants  Moulton  and 
Somerville,  who  fell  early  in  the  action. 

The  General  sunk  his  dead 
found  by  experience,  that  when  they  were  buried,  the  sav- 
ages raised  the  bodies,  stripped,  and  scalped  them,  pre- 
senting the  scalps  among  their  own  people,  as  trophies  of 
victory,  and  thus  tending  to  inspirit  them  with  these  hor- 
rid badges  of  triumph,  to  prolong  the  war.  Having  mads 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  carrying  off  his  wounded, 
he  returned  safely  to  fort  Williams. 

On  the  2d  day  of  April,  the  General  issued  a  very  spiri- 
ted address,  in  the  form  of  congratulation  to  his  soldiers. 
Understanding  that  the  enemy  were  embodied  in  conside- 
rable numbers  at  Hoithlewalee,  a  town  not  far  from  the 
Hickory  Ground,  he  was  desirous  to  recommence  opera- 
tions as  soon  as  possible.  Too  much  weakened  by  sick- 
ness, and  the  loss  of  the  late  battle,  and  some  soldiers 
discharged,  to  open  the  campaign  as  efficiently  as  he  could 
choose,  witlihis  own  forces,  he  wished  to  form  a  junction 
with  the  army  from  Georgia.  The  North  Carolina  troops, 
under  the  command  of  General  Graham,  an  experienced 
revolutionary  officer,  and  those  of  Georgia,  under  Colonel 
Milton,  were  announced  to  be  some  where  not  far  south 
of  Tallapoosa,  and  could  not  be  very  distant. 

On  the  7th,  with  all  his  disposable  force,  he  commen- 
ced his  march,  with  the  double  view  of  effecting  this  union 
and  of  attacking  on  his  route  the  enemy's  force  collected 
at  Hoithlewalee.  CoUld  the  enemy,  at  the  point  they 
now  occupied,  be  brought  to  fight,  and  a  Jitecisive  advan- 
tage obtained  over  them,  they  migrt  be  induced  to  fi.il  mit 
to  terms,  and  the  war  be  ended.  But  if  suffered  to  esca;;c, 
they  might  again  collect,  and  giva  battle  at  some  fortu- 
nate moment,  and  protract  the  war.  This  could  in  no 
way  be  so  effectually  prevented,  as  for  the  Tennessee 
troops  to  advance  upon  them  from  the  north,  and  the  Caro- 
linians and  Georgians  from  the  south,  making  such  a  dis- 

18 


m 


206 


INDIAN  WARS 


position  as  would  prevent  their  escape  by  crossing  the  river, 
and  passing  off  by  the  Escambia  to  Pensacola. 

It  was  some  time  before  he  could  procure  confidential 
messengers  to  convey  the  information  of  his  intended 
movements  to  the  southern  army.  He  wrote  by  expres- 
ses, sent  on  two  different  routes,  that  on  the  7th  he  should 
march  with  eight  days'  provisions  for  Hoithlewalee,  which 
he  expected  to  attack  on  the  11th;  and  he  urged  the  neces- 
sity of  proper  concert  on  their  part  to  meet  this  move- 
ment. High  waters  prevented  his  reaching  his  destina- 
tiofa  until  the  13th,  before  which  the  enemy  had  Leen 
sufficiently  apprised  of  his  approach  to  flee.  The  rear 
only  of  the  retreating  savages  was  overtaken,  and  twenty- 
five  of  them  made  prisoners.  The  next  day  part  of  the 
town  of  Hoithlewalee  was  destroyed  by  a  detachment  of 
the  army  j  but  the  inhabitants  and  warriors  had  fled. 

The  next  day  the  long  desired  junction  with  the  south- 
em  army  was  effected.  The  Tennessee  army  was  in  a 
state  of  famine.  Colonel  Milton,  who  commanded  the 
southern  troops,  proposed  to  lend  General  Jackson  a  tem- 
porary supply,  but  felt  himself  under  no  obligation  to  fur- 
nish any.  To  this  courteous  proffer,  the  General  answer- 
ed, by  ordering  him  immediately  to  send  him  five  thou- 
sand rations,  and  to  join  him  by  ten  the  next  day  at  Hoith- 
lewalee. The  junction  was  accordingly  effected.  Thr 
necessary  steps  were  taken  to  bringdown  provisions  from 
fort  Decatur,  and  no  further  inconvenience  was  felt  for  want 
of  supplies. 

The  principal  chiefs  of  the  Hickory  Ground  tribes,  and 
the  Creek  chiefs  generally,  came  in  with  protestations  of 
friendship,  and  applied  for  peace.  The  answer  was,  *that 
those  of  the  w^r  party,  who  wished  to  put  an  end  to  the 
contest  and  become  friendly,  must  manifest  it  by  retiring 
in  the  rear  of  the  army,  and  settling  themselves  to  the 
north  of  fort  Williams.  Fourteen  chiefs  were  willing  to 
furnish  still  further  evidence  of  their  desire  for  peace. 
They  assured  the  General  that  their  aged  king,  Tous-hat- 
chee,  would  have  come  with  them  in  person,  but  was  on 
bis  way  with  his  followers,  to  settle  north  of  fort  Williams, 


OF  THE  WEST. 


207 


according  to  the  information  which  he  had  received  frora 
the  General  by  a  flag. 

It  was  expected  that  the  Indians  would  make  a  final 
stand  at  the  Hickory  Grounds,  in  the  forks  near  where 
the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa  unite.  The  army  continued  its 
march  for  this  place,  without  hearing  of  any  embodied 
enemy.  At  the  old  Toulossee  fort  on  the  Coosa,  not  far 
from  the  confluence,  and  where  the  two  rivers  approach 
within  one  hundred  poles  of  each  other,  a  fort  was  direc- 
ted to  be  raised,  to  be  named  after  the  commanding  Gene- 
ral. Here  the  hostile  chiefs  arrived  daily,  with  assuran- 
ces of  friendshij),  and  proff*ers  of  submission.  They  con- 
curred to  state,  that  those  of  the  hostile  chiefs  who  were 
still  opposed  to  peace,  had  fled  to  the  gulf  coast  and  Pensa- 
cola.  To  these  applications  an  answer  was  returned  simi- 
lar to  the  former. 

To  test  the  sincerity  of  their  professions,  they  were  di- 
rected to  bring  the  notorious  chief,  Weatherford,  bound  ta 
the  camp.  He  was  one  of  the  most  influential  chiefs  of 
the  nation,  and  had  been  the  principal  actor  in  the  butche- 
ry at  fort  Mimms.  Soon  after,  the  General  was  surprised 
by  a  personal  visit  from  that  chief,  who  had  come  volunta- 
rily, and  without  being  known,  and  had  been  admitted  to 
the  General's  quarters.  He  entered  with  a  calm  front, 
and  said  Hhat  he  had  come  to  ask  peace  for  himself  and 
his  people.'  The  General  expressed  his  astonishment 
that  he,  whose  conduct  at  fort  Mimms  had  been  so  well 
known,  anJ  who  must  be  conscious  that  he  deserved  to 
die,  should  venture  to  appear  iu  his  presence.  *I  had 
directed,'  he  continued,  'thai  you  should  be  brought  to  me 
confined.  Had  you  appeared  in  this  way,  I  should  have 
known  how  to  have  treated  you.'  Weatherford  replied, 
*I  am  in  your  power.  Do  with  me  as  you  please.  I  am  a 
soldier.  I  have  done  the  white  people  all  the  harm  I 
could.  I  have  fought  them,  and  fought  them  bravely.  If 
I  had  an  army,  I  would  yet  fight,  and  contend  to  the  last. 
But  I  have  none.  My  people  are  all  gone.  I  can  now  do 
no  more  than  weep  over  the  misfortunes  of  my  nation.' 

This  man  had  probably  penetrated '  the  character  of 
General  Jackson  so  far  as  to  be  aware  tl  xt  this  was  tho 


-.:M 


Lii 


fS08 


INDIAN  WARS 


only  mode  of  address  in  which  to  please  that  intrepid  sol- 
dier. Somewhat  softened,  the  General  informed  him  how 
his  nation  could  be  saved,  and  peace  restored  to  it,  and 
that  there  was  but  that  alternative;  informing  him,  how- 
ever, that  if  the  alternative  was  not  acceptable,  no  ad- 
vantage should  be  taken  of  his  voluntary  surrender,  and 
that  he  was  at  liberty  to  depart-,  and  unite  himself  to  the 
war  party  when  he  pleai>ed;  but  that,  if  taken,  his  life 
would  pay  the  forfeit  of  his  crimes.  Otherwise,  he 
was  assured,  if  he  chose  to  remain,  that  he  should  be 
protected. 

Weatherford  answered,  *that  he  desired  peace,  that  his 
nation  might  be  relieved  from  their  sufferings;  that,  inde- 
pendent of  other  sufferings,  consequences  of  the  war,  their 
cattle  were  destroyed,  and  their  women  anil  children  des- 
titute of  provisions.  But,'  he  continued,  *I  may  well  be 
addressed  in  such  language  now.  There  was  a  time 
when  I  had  a  choice,  and  could  have  answered  you.  I 
havo  none  now.  Even  hope  has  ended.  Once  I  could 
animate  my  warrior><  to  battle.  But  I  cannot  animate  the 
dead.  My  warriors  can  no  longer  hear  my  voice.  Their 
bones  are  at  Talladega,  Tallashatchee,  Emuckfaw,  and 
Tohopeka.^  I  have  surrendered  myself  deliberately.  While 
there  were  chances  of  success,  I  never  left  my  post,  or 
supplicated  peace.  My  people  are  now  gone,  and  I  ask 
peace  for  my  nation  and  myself.  On  the  miseries  and 
misfortunes  brought  upon  my  country.  Hook  back  with  the 
deepest  sorrow,  and  wish  to  avert  still  greater  calamities. 
If  I  had  been  left  to  contend  with  the  Georgia  army,  I 
would  have  raised  my  corn  on  one  bank  of  the  river,  and 
fought  them  on  the  other.  Your  people  have  destroyed 
my  nation.  You  are  a  brave  man.  I  rely  upon  your 
generosity.  You  will  exact  no  terms  of  a  conquered  peo- 
ple, but  those  to  which  they  are  willing  to  accede.  What- 
ever they  may  be,  it  would  now  be  madness  and  folly  to 
oppose  them.  If  they  are  opposed,  you  shall  find  me 
among  the  sternest  enforcers  of  obedience.  Those  who 
would  hold  out,  can  only  be  influenced  by  a  mean  spirit 
of  revenge ;  and  to  this  they  must  not,  and  shall  not  sac- 
sifice  the  last  remnant  of  their  country.    You  have  told 


OF  THE  WEST. 


209 


us  where  we  may  go  and  be  safe.  This  is  a  good  talk, 
and  my  nation  ought  to  listen  to  it,  and  they  shall  listen 
to  it; 

Such  was  the  oration  of  Weatherford.  The  earnestness 
and  bold  independence  of  bis  after  conduct,  left  no  doubL  of 
the  sincerity  of  his  intentions. 

The  necessary  blow  had  been  struck,  and  the  war  in 
effect  was  closed.  The  spirits  of  the  Creeks  were  broken 
down.  All  who  were  disposed  still  to  fight,  had  taken 
protection  with  the  Spanish  on  the  coast.  Little  remained 
for  General  Jackson  to  accomplish,  but  to  give  stability 
and  perpetuity  to  the  results  already  obtained.  The 
Creek  country  was  ^coured  by  his  tro3ps,  to  find  any 
gatherings  of  hostile  Indians,  or  lurking  adherents  to  them. 
Knowing  the  natural  perfidy  of  these  people,  and  that  no 
guarantee  for  their  future  tiJelity,  but  their  fears,  could  be 
expected,  he  was  stern  in  adhering  to  the  original  pur- 
pose, to  consider  all  the  Indians  who  did  not  remove  to  the 
north  of  fort  Williams,  as  enemies.  By  the  establish- 
ment of  fort  Jackson,  a  line  of  posts  was  formed  from 
Tennessee  and  Georgia  to  the  Alabama.  The  required 
remove  of  the  Indians  interposed  this  line  between  them 
and  their  communications  with  the  Spanish  at  Pensacola, 
and  placed  them  properly  within  tlie  control  of  the  United 
States. 

On  the  20th,  General  Pinckney  arrived  in  camp,  and 
assumed  the  command  of  the  army  in  person.  The  mea- 
sures that  had  been  adopted  by  General  Jackson,  in  regard 
to  the  future  fidelity  of  the  Indians,  met  his  entire  appro- 
bation. The  Indians  were  retiring  with  their  families, 
where  they  were  directed.  Much  of  the  property  plun- 
dered at  fort  Mimms  and  along  the  frontier,  was  restored, 
and  every  thing  indicated  on  their  part  sincere  desires  of 
peace.  A  sufficient  force  was  retained  for  garrisoning 
the  posts  already  occupied,  and  orders  were  issued  on  the 
21st  for  the  troops  from  Tennessee  to  be  marched  home 
and  discharged.  It  was  a  cheering  reflection  to  them,  that 
having  seen,  inflicted,  and  suffered  so  much  misery,  they 
were  now  retiring  to  their  homes,  carrying  with  them  the 
fiweeteat  consolation  to  the  mind  of  a  citizen  soldier,  thj^t 

18* 


-i 


..•'r 
^ 


.•V  .  .  J.,: 


1210 


IK DI AN  WARS 


in  the  trying  situations  in  which  they  had  been  placed, 
they  had  acted  with  honor,  had  done  their  duty,  and  wore 
returning  *o  their  retired  and  peaceful  dwellings,  covered 
with  glory. 

It  is  matter  of  regret,  that  even  while  these  arrangements 
were  making,  the  iViendly  Creeks  were  engaged  in  pursu- 
ing and  destroying  their  fugitive  countrymen,  with  the 
most  unrelentin";  rijjor.  To  have  been  at  fort  Mimms, 
was  a  ground  of  accusation  against  a  warrior,  that  at  once 
placed  him  out  of  the  pale  of  mercy.  They  viewed,  or 
affected  to  view,  this  unprovoked  outrage  witii  more  vin- 
dictive feelings  than  even  did  our  own  troops.  A  Creek 
party  was  on  its  way  to  our  camy,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  their  submission.  The  friendly  Creeks,  under- 
standing that  they  had  accompanied  Weatherford  in  his 
attack  upon  fort  Mimms,  met  them  on  their  way,  and  put 
them  all  to  death. 

All  necessary  arrangements  having  been  made  for  gar- 
risoning the  posts,  and  for  the  future  security  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  proper  reports  made  to  General  Pinckney,  the 
commanding  ofKccr,  after  an  impressive  parting  address  to 
the  troops,  General  Jackson  despatched  them  to  their 
homes.  The  freshness  of  the  laurels  which  he  had  gath- 
ered in  this  war,  will  never  fade.  He  had  every  thing  to 
encounter,  and  he  overcame  every  difficulty.  He  was  the 
ottly  one  of  the  army  that  never  despaired  of  the  cause. 
Such  was  the  promptitude  and  celerity  of  his  movements, 
that  he  was  often  upon  the  savages  before  they  had  any 
intelligence  of  his  approach.  He  was  one  of  the  few  men 
who  inspire  universal  confidence,  and  have  the  secret  to 
command  victory. 

Humanity  will  naturally  recoil  from  the  contemplation 
of  the  misery  and  ruin  inflicted  upon  these  deluded  sava- 
ges. We  may  surely  take  to  ourselves  the  consolation, 
that  our  country  had  exhausted  forbearance  befor.e  she 
inflicted  vengeance.  For  more  than  twenty  years,  the 
Creeks  had  been  perpetrating  cruelties  and  murders  along 
our  frontiers.  Many  a  parent  still  lives,  whose  sad  re- 
membrance treasures  a  child  that  had  bled  beneath  their 
murderous  hands.    Cold  Water,  on  Tennessee  river;  had: 


OF  THE  WEST. 


211 


long  been  a  den,  whence  they  issued  to  prowl  and  mtirder. 
As  early  as  1787,  General  Robertson  colloctoil  a  force  of 
volunteers,  and  destroyed  this  settlem3nt.  Thi)so  who 
escaped  from  this  place,  retired  upon  tho  Black  Warrior, 
harboring  revenge,  and  soMking  every  favorable  opportu- 
nity for  mitrder,  until  tho  winter  of  1813,  when  their  towna 
on  that  river  were  assailed,  and  destroyed. 

In  the  war  that  ensued  between  our  country  and  Great 
Britain,  the  prowess  of  that  nation  was  prodigiously  mag- 
nified intheireycs.  Their  prophets  contributed  to  the  il- 
lusion. They  were  led  to  think  that  the  'Great  Spirit' 
had  taken  cause  with  them,  that  they  were  allied  with  an 
invincible  power,  in  the  British,  and  that  they  should  ulti- 
mately drive  away  the  Americans  from  tho  country.  The 
tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  were  used  with  unrelenting 
and  unsparing  vengeance.  A  more  horrid  massacre  than 
that  of  fortMimms,  never  occurred  in  the  annuls  of  savage 
barbarity.  Tho  Indians  were  acquainted  with  the  diffi- 
culties which  General  Jackson  had  to  encounter,  and 
drew  encouragemant  from  them.  They  soon  found  what 
kind  of  character  they  had  to  deal  with  in  him.  Instead 
of  confining  his  plans  to  the  guarding  our  own  frontiers,  a» 
under  all  his  trials  would  have  been  as  much  as  another 
man  would  have  contemplated,  General  Jackson  with  his 
troops  burst  into  tho  centre  of  their  country,  and  swept 
over  it,  as  with  a  storm.  One  fxtal  battle  after  another 
convinced  them  that  their  prophets  were  importers,  and 
that  neither  the  British  nor  the  'Great  Spirit'  protectad 
them  from  our  just  vengeance.  Their  courage  was  bro- 
ken down  along  with  their  power,  and  such  results  ob- 
tained, that  we  may  confiJently  hope  they  will  never 
again,  as  a  nation,  raise  the  tomahawk  against  us,  within- 
the  limits  of  our  country. 


i 


KWM 


212 


INDIAN  WARS 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MONUMENTAL  REMAINS  OF  THE    PAST,  IN  THE  UlSSISSIPri 

VALLEY. 

Innumerable  observers,  in  penetrating  the  bosom  of  the 
earth,  in  all  the  recorded  periods  of  time,  have  come  upon 
the  remains  of  organized  atiimal  and  vegetable  bodies,  the 
ruins  of  a  gone-by  world,  the  monuments  of  generations  of 
rationals,  whose  history,  whose  annals,  whose  recorded  tra- 
ces, are  as  completely  extinct  as  though  they  had  not  been. 
These  monuments  present  materials  for  meditation  of  the 
profoundest  interest,  and  the  most  inextricable  perplexity. 
The  monuments  of  present  tropical  existences,  are  found 
deep  under  the  soil  of  the  temperate  and  polar  regions, — im- 
pressions, petrifactions  of  the  date,  fern,  bread-fruit  tree, 
bamboo,  lion,  tiger,  hippopotomus, — under  the  snows  and 
frosts  of  the  bitterest  winters.     It  is  but  recently,  that  some 
French  writers,  as  St.  Pierre  and  BufTon,  began  to  class 
these  remains.     Baron  Cuvier,  the  historian  of  the  ani- 
mals of  a  past  world,  entered,  in  the  industry  of  great  tal- 
ent and  protound  res3arch,  into  this  walk,  and  from  noting 
the  conformation  of  organic  remains,  has  been  enabled  to 
classify  the  generations  of  the  past,  and  to  write  the  history 
of  the  changes  which  our  world  has  probably  undergone. 
Dr.  Buckland  has  found,  that  the  caves  of  England,  France, 
and  Germany,  are  abundantly  stored  with  the  remains  of 
animals,  that  at  present  only  inhabit  the  tropics.   The  ferns 
of  Mfexico,  India,  and  the  South  Sea  isles,  are  found  im- 
bedded in  English  meadows.      What  a  world  must  that 
have  been,  what  species  of  men  musi  have  been  the  spec- 
tators, when  the  mammoth  and  megalonyx  trod  the  plains; 
and  the  monstrous  lizards,  whose  bones  are  now  rescued 
from  the  soil,  reared  their  heads  from  the  rivers  and  lakes! 
Whut  must  have  been  the  terrors  of  rivers  and  swamps 
inhabited  by  lizards  of  tremendous  teeth  and  powers,  eighty 
feet  in  length,  and  possessing  the  wings  attributed  to  the 
fabulous  dragon ! 


;**='- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


213- 


It  has  been  the  custom  with  European  writers  to  speak 
of  America  as  the  ncui  world,  and  of  our  own  geologists 
to  describe  the  great  Mississippi  valley  as  the  most, recent 
formation  of  this  new  world;  and,  in  fact,  as  so  lately 
reared  from  its  submersion,  as  almost  to  bear  on  its  sur- 
face the  slimy  traces  of  its  emersion.  More  recent  and 
better  collated  examinations,  assign  to  this  region  an  an- 
tiquity far  beyond  any  recorded  annals  of  human  history 
or  tradition.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since  some  hardy  an- 
tiquarians began  to  speak  of  finding  the  impress  of  the 
leaves  and  flowers  of  the  bread-fruit  tree,  and  the  bamboo, 
and  the  fern,  in  our  peat  beds,  and  fossil  coal  formations. 
They  were  met  by  the  public  with  increduliiy  and  unspa- 
ring ridicule.  But  as  these  e.vperimcnts  muliiplied;  as 
they  became  too  numerous  to  be  attributed  to  iinagination 
or  deception;  as  they  were  so  mjltiplied  as  to  cease  to  be 
curiosities ;  as  the  testimony  of  so  respectable  and  unques- 
tioned a  writer  as  Dr.  Bjckland,  was  added  to  prove  the 
same  (acts  in  the  old  world,  doubt  began  to  change  to  per- 
plexed admiration  and  astonishment.  Our  bowlders  of  gra- 
nite in  disruption,  our  vast  masses  of  lead  ore  out  of  place, 
our  stratified  rocks,  earths,  and  sands,  our  innumerable 
specimens  of  tropical  organic  animal  and  vegetable  re^ 
mains,  our  regular  walls,  stoned  wells,  brick  hearths, med- 
als, characters,  apparently  alphabetic,  written  on  the  cliffs, 
the  brick  hearths  found  deep  below  a  soil  which  could  not 
have  been  disturbed  for  ages,  our  implemonts  of  iron  and 
copper  foimd  in  a  hntidrod  places,  and  under  circumstances 
to  preclude  a  i-ecent  and  European  origin,  our  mounds  and 
their  contents,  clear  monuments  of  a  second  and  deteriora- 
ted race,  our  present  red  men,  still  lower  in  the  scale  of 
humanity,  all  announce  that  this  valley,  fondly  deemed  of 
such  recent  origin,  has  undergone  the  baptism  of  fire,  and 
water,  and  death,  and  prodigious  changes  almost  beyond 
the  stretch  of  fancy ;  and  that  this  country  of  silent  forests 
and  prairies,  has  already  seen,  at  immense  and  unrecord- 
ed intervals  of  tim3,  three  successive  generations  of  men;- 
the  primitive  race  acquainted  with  the  use  of  iron,  of  al- 
phabetical or  hieroglyphical  writing,  of  structures  of  brick 
and  stone ;  the  second  and  deteriorated  race  of  the  mounds 


•  *ii 


.M 


i'''' 


WW 


'• '. 


■rfM 
III 

mi 


III 


lib 


Hie 


ei4 


INDIAN  WARS 


but  little  acquainted  witii  the  softer  metals,  and  derivinor 
that  acquaintance  from  the  Mexican  Indians,  and  whose 
most  enduring  monuments  are  these  mounds  of  earth, 
partly  fortifications  and  partly  cemeteries,  full  of  the  bones 
and  the  puerile  ornaments  of  the  founders,  and  the  present 
hapless  race  fading  fast  from  existence  and  memory,  who 
will  leave  no  other  remembrances  than  their  bones. 

Alas!  our  fresh  world,  beneath  its  deep  forests  and  flow- 
ering prairies,  conceals  the  memorials  of  eras  of  the  com- 
plete extirpation  of  successive  raced.  The  tide  of  hfe  and 
empire  rolled  where  the  traveller,  from  the  rising  to  the 
setting  sun,  sees  neither  man  nor  human  habitation.  The 
races  are  entombed  beneath  the  ruins  of  a  world,  that  is 
post.  Every  thing  speaks  of  life  and  death  in  the  new 
world,  as  in  the  old.  Our  virgin  and  vegetable  soil,  which 
the  immigrant  turns  up  with  his  share  for  the  first  time, 
mey  be  the  mouldering  remains  of  a  human  body.  The 
dew  drop&,  which  glitter  on  the  flower  cups  of  the  wide 
ocean  prairies,  may  once  have  been  tear  drops  rolling  down 
the  cheek  of  youth  and  beauty. 

The  monuments  of  the  primitive  race,  consist  of  regular 
stone  walls,  of  wells  stoned  up,  of  medals  of  copper  and  sil- 
ver, of  swords  and  other  implements  of  iron,  of  the  brick 
hearths  found  in  diguina  the  Louisville  cnnal,  with  the 
coal  of  the  'ast  fires  laying  upon  lem;  of  characters 
found  on  the  iimestone  blnfTs,  which  cannot  but  be  deemed 
fes  eithar  alphabetic  or  hieroglyphical,  are  discovered  in 
too  many  places  in  the  west,  and  under  circumstances  too 
various  to  be  attributed  to  any  other  origin  than  a  primi- 
tive race,  whose  whole  history  of  civilization  our  brief  lim- 
its will  not  allow  us  to  give,  only  in  the  fact,  that  they 
knew  the  manufacture  and  the  use  of  iron.  But  though 
this  history  may  be  brief,  it  comprises  volumes  in  regard 
to  their  civilization,  compared  with  any  races  between 
them  and  us.  Among  the  samg  class  of  inexplicable  anti- 
quities, we  place  the  groves  of  ancient  live  oaks  set  in  reg- 
ular park-forms  in  Florida,  together  with  remains  of  cities, 
fortifications,  and  dwellings,  near  them.  We  have  seen 
these  strange  and  ancient  swords.  We  have  seen  the  iron 
shoe  of  some  tiny  animal  of  the  horse  class,  encrusted  with 


OF  THE  WEST. 


215 


the  rust  of  ages,  and  found  far  beneath  the  soil.  Frag- 
ments of  woud  dug  from  beneath  the  peat  beds,  bear  the 
evident  marks  of  having  been  cut  by  an  implement  of  iron 
not  unlike  our  axe.  We  recently  saw  a  copper  axe,  which 
weighed,  we  should  judge,  over  two  pounds.  Its  cilge  was 
singularly  tempered  and  polished,  and  worked  not  unliktt 
an  edge  of  steel.  Its  place  for  the  insertion  of  a  handle^ 
was  made  by  the  rolling  over  of  the  two  outer  rims,  leav- 
ing place  for  a  helve  at  the  point  of  insertion  of  the  width 
of  a  man^s  hand.  These  monumentis,  together  with  the 
western  medals,  we  refer  to  a  class  anterior  to  the  found- 
ers of  the  mounds,  and  much  farther  advanced  in  civiliza- 
tion. To  this  era  belong  the  remains  of  the  ancient  city, 
of  towers  and  temples,  recently  discovered  in  the  Hercu- 
laneumof  the  new  world,  in  Peru. 

The  second  era  of  American  habitancy,  is  in  the  im- 
mense stone  Teocalli  of  Mexico,  and  the  earthen  mounds 
discovered  in  every  point  of  the  valley,  from  lake  Erie 
and  West  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  to  the  savannas  of 
Florida,  and  arising  on  the  solitude  of  the  western  prairies 
quite  to  the  Rocky  mountains.  Whether  the  mass  of  them 
was  constructed  tor  fortifications,  observatories,  temples, 
or  tombs,  is  a  matter  of  conjecture  alone.  That  some  of 
them  served  the  latter  purpose,  we  have  conclusive  proof, 
in  their  abounding  in  skeletons  and  human  bones.  They 
show  little  art,  though  immense  labor.  Many  of  them  are 
of  regular  mathematical  figures,  parallelograms,  ellipses, 
sections  of  circles,  showing  the  remains  of  gateways  and 
subterranean  passages.  Some  of  them,  after  the  lapse  of 
ages,  and  with  trees  growing  on  them  of  a  date  of  500  ^  ears, 
are  still  70  or  80  feet  high.  A  circumstance  the  most  in- 
explicoble  of  alUs,  that  these  huge  and  rude  erections  are 
generally  of  a  soil  not  furnished  by  the  ground  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity,  which  at  least  is  the  general  opinion,  and 
such  is  their  aspect  to  us.  Some  are  found  on  hills, 
some  on  the  fertile  prairies;  and  they  are  generally  most 
frequent  enrich  alluvial  grounds,  near  portages, between 
long  rivers,  contiguous  to  fishing  grounds  and  productive 
hunting  regions.  They  are  most  abundant  at  points  where 
it  has  been  since  most  convenient  to  build  the  towns  and 


11 


mm 


816 


INDIAN  WAHS 


form  the  settlements  of  civilized  man .  We  have  seen  them 
rising  in  their  striking  loneliness  amidst  the  mountains  of 
western  Virginia,  along  the  shores  of  the  beautiful  Ohio, 
on  the  prairies  of  the  Miesouri,  and  on  the  lower  courses 
of  the  Mississippi.  Some  are  cone  shaped.  Some  rec- 
tangles. One  at  Grave  creek  is  between  70  and  80  feet 
in  height.  One  among  the  hundreds  near  Caholjia,  in  the 
prairie  of  the  American  bottom,  was  large  enough  to  furnish 
a  garden  and  a  residence  to  some  monks  of  La  Trappe, 
under  a  vow  of  perpetual  silence.  Where  could  these 
dreamers  have  meditated  more  profoundly  in  their  silence, 
than  in  these  flowering  prairies,  amidst  nature's  luxuriance 
of  useless  vegetation,  in  the  wide  solitude,  and  above  the 
):ones  of  a  world,  whose  inhaLi!^antB  were  all  passed  away! 

There  are  very  interesting  miunds  near  St.  Louis,  and 
a  little  north  of  the  town.  Some  of  them  have  the  appear- 
ance of  enormous  stacks.  'J'he  mound,  called  the  Falhng 
Garden,  is  pointed  out  to  strangers  at  St.  Louis  as  a  great 
curiosity.  One  of  those  mounds  was  levelled  in  the  centre 
of  Chillicothe.  In  digging  it  down,  cart  loads  of  human 
bones  are  said  to  have  teen  removed.  The  town  of  Cir- 
cleville  is  laid  out  between  a  couple  of  mounds,  the  one  cir- 
cular, the  other  square.  Skeletons  ha  .e  been  found  in  dig- 
ging under  one  in  Cincinnati.  A  thin  circular  piece  of 
gold,  alloyed  with  copper,  was  discovered  in  this  mound 
last  year. 

In  passing  over  our  vast  prairie?,  in  viewing  our  noble 
and  ancient  forests,  planted  by  nature,  and  nurtured  only 
by  ages,  when  we  have  seen  the  sun  rising  over  a  bound- 
less plain,  where  the  blue  of  the  heavens  in  all  directions 
touched  and  mingled  with  the  verdure  and  the  flowers; 
when  our  thoughts  have  traversed  rivers  of  a  thousand 
leagues  in  length;  when  we  have  seen  the  ascending 
(Steam  boat  breasting  (he  surge,  and  gleaming  through  the 
verdure  of  the  trees;  when  we  have  imagined  the  happy 
multitudes  that  from  these  shores  will  contemplate  the 
scenery  in  days  to  come,  we  have  thought  that  our  great 
country  might  at  least  compare  with  others  in  the  beauty 
of  its  natural  scenery.  When  on  an  uninhabited  prairie, 
4ve  have  fallen  at  night-fall  upon  a  group  of  these  moundB, 


OF  THE  WEST. 


217 


and  have  thought  of  the  masses  of  human  bones  that  moul- 
der  beneath;  when  our  heart  and  imagmation  evoked  the 
busy  muhitudcs  that  here  'strutted  through  life's  poor  play,' 
and  asked  the  phantoms  who  and  what  they  were,  and 
why  they  have  left  no  memorials  but  these  mounds,  we 
have  found  ample  scope  for  reHections  and  associations  of 
the  past  with  the  future.  We  should  not  highly  estimate 
the  mind  or  the  heart  of  the  man  who  could  behold  these 
tombs  of  the  desert  prairies  without  deep  thought. 

Among  the  second  class  of  Indian  uniiquidcs  may  be 
classed  the  idols,  vase?,  and  culinaiy  utensiiH,  of  which  such 
numbers  arc  found  in  the  western  counlry,  as  ih;it  (hoy  are 
no  lonsrer  rejiardod  as  curiosities.  The  bcauliliil  three- 
headed  idol,  the  most  remarkable  specimen  of  Indian  pot- 
tery and  moulding  that  has  yet  been  found,  was  taken  from 
a  mound  in  Tennessee.  It  consists  of  *\uv.o  lieads  of  pro- 
portions of  considerable  accurac}-,  representing  counte- 
nances of  different  expressions  and  ages.  The  whole 
workmanship  is  surprising,  when  viewed  in  reference  to 
the  common  notion  of  Indian  art.  We  possessed  a  beau- 
tiful and  perfect  specimen  of  Indian  pottery  in  t1ie  shape  of 
a  drinking  gourd.  The  aperture  roprescnicd  the  mouth  of 
a  squaw,  which  the  thirsty  drinker  would  natiually  kiss 
Willi  a  degree  of  eager  ap()etite.  In  digging  a  ditch  round 
a  garden  below  St.  Charles,  in  the  for]<s  between  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  Missouri,  we  came  upon  great  quantities  of 
fragments  of  this  ware.  Much  of  it  in  fine  preservation 
has  been  dug  from  the  chalk  banks  below  tiie  mouth  of 
the  Ohio.  It  is  found  in  fact  every  where  between  Pitts- 
burgh, lake  Superior,  and  New  Mexico.  The  material  is 
clay,  with  a  considerable  intermixture  of  sand,  sometimes 
flinty,  sometimes  calcareous,  but  generally  of  a  snowy 
whiteness.  They  were  all  moulded  by  the  hand,  without 
any  aid  from  the  potter's  wheel.  The  shapes  of  natural 
objects  were  happily  imitated,  and  they  were  hra'dened  by 
the  heat  of  the  sun.  Sculptured  and  inscribed  rocks  are 
among  the  most  common  of  Indian  antiquities.  On  the 
side  of  a  mountain  in  Tennessee,  are  the  marks  of  the  foot- 
steps of  men  and  horses  in  the  limestone,  in  great  numbers, 
and  as  though  they  were  the  tracks  of  an  army.     Some  of 

19 


f  H.! 


ii 


ni 


218 


INDIAN  WARS 


the  tracks  show,  as  if  the  party  had  slipped  in  miry  clay. 
All  have  the  appearance  of  being  an  actual  impress  in  soft 
clay,  which  afterwards  hardened  to  stone,  retaining  a  per- 
fect impression.  Characters  of  great  freshness  of  color- 
ing, are  marked  upon  many  of  the  high  bluffs,  that  impend 
the  western  rivers.  Inscriptions  of  this  sort  are  found  in 
Missouri,  on  the  Illinois,  and  in  various  other  places.  A 
remarKable  track  of  a  human  foot  was  found  in  a  solid 
block  of  limestone,  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  at  St. 
Louis.  The  most  ancient  traditions  of  the  west,  do  not 
touch  the  origin  of  these  mounds  or  characters. 

Human  skeletons  have  been  found  in  great  presei-va- 
tion  in  nitre  caves  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  some  of 
Ihem  enveloped  in  robes  made  of  cloth  of  nettles  curiously 
overlaid  with  beautiful  tinkey  feathers.  Every  one  has 
read  of  the  cemetery  of  pigmy  skeletons  on  the  Maramec, 
not  far  from  St.  Louis.  Similar  ones  are  found  in  Ten- 
nessee, not  far  from  the  Cumberland.  Organic  remains  of 
various  animals,  and  among  others  the  megalonyx  and 
mastodon,  and  other  huge  and  unknown  animals,  are  found 
in  various  place?,  particularly  at^ig  Bone  Liclc,  in  Ken- 
tucky. Whole  skeletons  have  been  completed  from  them 
in  the  museums  of  the  curious.  Indeed  this  country  offers 
a  far  moie  curious  field  for  the  discovery  and  classification 
of  organic  remains,  than  any  other  known.  The  muse- 
ums at  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis  abound  in  collections  of 
western  organic  remains  and  Indian  antiquities.  We  have 
found  space  only  to  admit  a  few  of  the  most  interesting.  In 
journeying  through  dark  forests  or  wide  prairies,  we  can- 
not but  be  aware,  that  extinguished  races,  with  Iheir  mon- 
uments and  aits,  are  beneath  our  feet. 

The  recent  excavation  of  the  Louisville  and  Portland 
canal,  afforded  an  impressi\X)  display  of  ancient  remains. 
In  the  alluvial  stratum  immmediately  above  the  compact 
bed  of  slate  limestone,  and  from  nineteen  to  upwards  of 
twenty  feet  below  the  surface,  brick  hearths  were  brought 
to  view,  with  the  coals  of  the  last  social  domestic  fires  still 
visible.  The  bricks,  as  we  have  heard  them  described, 
were  hard  and  regular,  difTering  from  those  of  present 
make  in  being  longer  in  proportion  to  their  width  and 


J       ,t 


OF  THE  W13ST. 

thickness.  Along  with  organic  remains  of  animals,  sitni- 
lai;to  those  found  at  Big  Bone  Lick,  were  skeletons  of  men 
in  great  numbers.  Among  others,  was  that  of  a  man 
standing  erect  in  the  earth,  one  arm  raised  to  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees  with  the  shoulder,  and  holding  in  the 
hand  a  semi-globular,  or  rather  elliptical  stone,  striated 
with  gay  colors,  beautifully  polished,  and  of  the  size  of  half 
an  orange.  When  those  perforations  and  examinations  in- 
to the  interior  strata  of  the  soil,  which  every  where  take 
place,  consequent  upon  habitancy  and  improvement,  shall 
have  been  made,  we  doubt  not  that  innumerable  testimo- 
nials to  the  past  habitancy  of  this  country,  like  those  reci- 
ted above,  will  come  to  light.  Siich  remains  cannot  fail 
to  elicit  profound  reflection  and  solemn  thought.  But  it  is 
out  of  the  question  to  tliink  of  deriving  from  them  any 
theories  or  conclusions  more  specific  than  that  the  country 
was  formerly  inhabited  by  races  of  animals,  most  of  which 
are  now  extinct;  and  by  races  of  men,  in  form  and  struc- 
ture like  ourselves. 


mm 


'II 


>■  li.-' 


m 


,    CHAPTER    XIII. 

BRIEF   NOTICES    OF   SOME   OF   THE   WESTERN    TIONEERS. 

After  all,  our  most  interesting  remains  are  the  trans- 
mitted examples  and  characters  of  our  hardy  pioneers,  of 
whom  but  a  very  few  now  remain. 

From  a  near  relative  of  Daniel  Boone,  we  are  enabled 
to  add  a  few  facts,  in  relation  to  his  life,  in  addition  to 
those  that  have  already  been  recorded  in  this  work;  and 
which  dates  subsequent  to  the  period  of  his  leaving  Ken- 
tucky. 

Boone  was  a  man  of  the  keenest  sensitiveness;  and,  it 
is  said,  used  to  show  great  satisfaction  at  hearing  any  one 
read  the  flattering  and  rather  exaggerated  and  sophomorical 
account  of  him,  which,  as  original  and  authentic  matter  ap- 


r 


■■;v!! 


ji4 


ifl 


11 


ii 


320 


INI^iIAN  WARS 


^• 


proved  by  himself,  has  already  been  incorporated  in  these 
pa^es.  <AU  true,'  he  used  to  exclaim.  ^No  mistake 
there.'  B>jt,  though  ardently  sensitive,  he  was  not  dis- 
posed to  be  querulous  and  repining,  although  he  used  to 
speak  sometimes  with  strong  indignation  of  those  legal  in- 
tricacies and  quibbles,  by  which  he  lost  all  the  rewards  of 
his  exposures,  labors,  sufferings,  and  dangers',  in '  the  first 
settlement  of  Kentucky. 

But  having  expended  his  indignation  in  u  transient  par- 
oxysm, he  settled  soon  back  to  his  customary  mental  com- 
placency and  self-possession;  and  as  ho  had  no  j)ledge  of 
consequence  remaining  to  him  in  the  soil  of  Kentucky;  as 
it  was,  moreover,  becoming  on  all  sides  subject  to  the  em- 
pire of  the  cullivntor's  axe  and  plough;  and  as  Missouri, 
still  an  unpeopled  wilderness,  lying  along  an  almost  unex- 
plored river,  exceeding  a  thousand  leagues  in  length,  of- 
fered to  his  imagination  a  new  Kentucky,  almost  promising 
indemnity  for  that  he  hud  lost,  ho  determined  to  remove 
there;  and,  in  the  year  1804,  he  moved  with  his  family 
from  Kentucky  to  Missouri.  His  character  for  honesty, 
courage,  and  fidelity,  followed  him.  The  country  had 
just  passed  by  cession  fiom  the  then  French  republic  to 
the  United  States.  But  the  Spanish  and  French  system 
still  being  in  force,  he  was  appointed  commandant  of  the 
district  of  St.  Charles  by  the  Spanish  commandant.  This 
was  the  second  district,  in  point  of  importance,  in  the  terri- 
tory ;  and  he  retained  his  command  until  the  government 
of  the  United  States  went  into  effect.  His  first  position 
was  at  Boone's  Lick,  not  far  from  Franklin,  and  about  180 
miles  north-west  of  St.  Louis,  near  Missouri  river.  Here 
he  made  salt,  hunted  bears  and  buffaloes,  and  trapped  bea- 
vers, undisturbed  by  white  cultivators,  as  in  the  halcyon 
days  of  salt  making  on  the  Blue  Licks. 

But  these  times  were  too  happy  to  last;  and  French 
hunters,  and  voyagcurs,  and  coureurs  du  bois^  began  to 
scour  the  forests,  kill  the  bears,  drive  oft' the  buffaloes,  and 
cut  down  the  bee  trees;  and  with  their  fleets  of  periogues 
ascend  the  Missouri  to  points,  beyond  v;here  the  stiffened 
sinews,  and  the  time-worn  frame  of  the  Kentucky  hunter 
permitted  him  to  follow.      The  volatile  and  babbling 


OF  THE  WEST. 


221 


French,  with  their  little,  and  to  him  despicablcf  shot-guns, 
could  bring  down  a  turkey  or  a  squirrel,  whore  the  rifle 
bullet,  formerly  so  unerring,  now  directed  by  his  dim  eye, 
could  not  reach.  It  was  in  vain,  that  the  hind  sights  were 
rendered  more  conspicuous  by  shreds  oi  white  paper.  No 
vigor  of  will,  no  internal  ardor  of  desire  can  repair  the  im- 
medicable and  irresistible  influence  of  time.  And,  howev- 
er the  heart  aud  juvenile  remembrances  of  Baone  might 
follow  these  biisk  and  talkative  hunters  to  the  Rocky 
mountains  and  the  VS'^estern  Sea,  the  sad  consciousness 
that  years  were  stronger  than  the  subduer  of  bears  and  In- 
dians, came  over  his  mind  like  a  cloud. 

Other  sorrows  came  also  with  age.  The  British  war, 
with  its  influence  upon  the  savage  auxiliaries  of  Britain, 
extended  even  to  the  remote  forests  of  the  Missouri.  The 
Boone's  Lick  establishment  was  broken  up  by  the  incursions 
of  numerous  bands  of  murderous  savages.  Boone  was  no 
longer  able  to  make  onp  of  tiio  rangers,  who  pursued  them, 
and  in  some  instances  retaliated  ample  measures  of  re- 
venge. But  ha  sent  numerous  substitutes  in  his  children, 
relatives,  and  nci^^hbors.  Where  he  passed  his  time  du- 
ring the  war,  wbether  at  the  block-house  at  Cote  Sans 
Dcsseln,  or  at  St.  Charles,  Sf.  Louis,  or  in  Kentucky,  does 
not  appear.  Though  it  is  believed  he  made  salt  at  Boone's 
Lick  no  inconsiderable  part  of  the  time,  solacing  his  aged 
car  with  the  music  of  his  young  days,  — the  howl  of  the  noc- 
turnal wolf,  and  the  war  song  of  the  prowling  savages, 
heard  far  away  from  the  co'.ni)anionship  of  the  whites. 

When  the  writer  lived  in  St.  Charles  in  18 IG,  Colonel 
Boone,  with  the  return  of  peace,  had  resumed  his  Ken- 
tucky habits,  and  resided  on  the  Missouri,  surrounded  by 
the  plantations  of  his  children  and  connexions,  farming, 
and  still  falling  the  trees  for  his  winter  fire,  into  his  court- 
yard; and  every  autumn  retiring  to  the  remote  and  moon- 
illumined  cities  of  the  boavers,  for  the  trapping  of  which, 
age  had  taken  from  him  none  of  his  capabilities.  He  could 
still,  by  the  aid  of  paper  on  his  rifle-sights,  bring  down  an 
occasional  turkey;  at  the  Salt  Licks  he  still  waylaid  the 
deer;  and  he  found  and  cut  down  bee  trees,  as  readily  as 
in.his  morning  days.    Never  was  old  age  more  green,  or 

19* 


M 


Iff 


if 


mmm 


wtm-wr^) 


2-22 


INDIAN  WAHS 


gray  hairs  more  graceful.  His  high,  calm,  bold  forehead, 
seemed  converted  by  years  to  iron.  Decay  came  for  him 
without  sorrow,  infirmity,  fever,  or  pain;  and,  surrounded 
and  cherished  by  kind  friends,  he  died  as  he  had  lived, 
composed  and  tranquil.  This  event  took  place  in  the 
eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  at  the  house  of  his  son-in-law, 
Colonel  Calloway,  not  far  below  Boone's  Lick,  in  the  year 
1818. 

He  was  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  of  a  very  erect, 
clean  limbed,  and  athletic  form,  admirably  fitted  in  struc- 
ture, muscle,  temperament,  and  habit,  for  the  endurance  of 
the  labors,  changes,  and  sufferings,  he  underwent.  He 
had  what  phrenologists  would  consider  a  model  head,  with 
a  forehead  peculiarly  high,  noble,  and  bold,  thin  and  com- 
pressed hps,  a  mild,  clear  blue  eye,  a  large  and  prominent 
chin,  and  a  general  expression  of  co\mtenance,  in  which 
fearlessness  and  courage  sat  enthroned,  aid  which  told  the 
beholder  at  a  glance  what  he  had  been,  and  was  formed  to 
be.  Though  ungratefully  requited  by  his  country,  he  has 
left  a  name  identified  with  the  history  of  Kentucky,  and 
with  the  founders  and  benefactors  of  our  great  republic,  hi 
all  future  time,  and  in  every  portion  of  the  globe;  in  histo- 
ry, in  sculpture,  in  song,  in  eloquence,  the  name  of  Daniel 
Boone  will  be  recorded  as  the  patriarch  of  Backwoods  Pi- 
orieers.  It  is  no  humble  fame  to  be  thus  commemorated 
by  Lord  Byron : 

Of  all  men,  saving  Isylla  the  man-slayer, 
Who  passes  for  in  life  and  death  most  lucky, 
Of  the  great  names,  which  in  our  faces  stare, 
The  General  Boone,  backwoodsman  of  Kentucky, 
Was  happiest  among  mortals  any  where, 
For  killing  nothing,  but  a  bear  or  buck ;  he 
Enjoy'd  the  lonely,  vigorous,  harmless  days, 
Of  his  old  age,  in  wilds  of  deepest  maze. 

Crime  came  not  near  him ;  she  is  not  the  child 
Of  solitude ;  health  shrank  not  from  him,  for 
Her  home  is  in  the  rarely  trodden  wild. 
Which,  if  men  seek  her  not,  and  death  be  more 
Their  choice  than  life,  forgive  them,  as  beguil'd 
By  habit  to  what  their  own  hearts  abhor — 
In  cities  cag'd.     The  present  case  in  point  I 
Cite  is,  Boone  livM  hunting  up  to  ninety : 


OP  THE  WEST. 


223 


And,  what  is  stranger,  left  behind  a  name, 
For  which  men  vainly  decimate  the  throng ; 
Not  only  famous,  but  of  that  good  fame. 
Without  which  glory's  but  a  tavern  song ;  , 

Simple,  serene,  the  antipodes  of  shame, 
Which  hate  or  envy  e'er  could  tinge  with  wrong; 
An  active  hermit ;  even  in  age  the  child 
Of  nature,  or  the  Man  of  Ross  run  wild. 

'Tis  true,  he  shrank  from  men  even  of  his  nation. 
When  they  built  up  unto  his  darling  trees ; 
He  mov'd  some  aundred  miles  off,  for  a  station. 
Where  there  were  fewer  houses  and  more  ease. 
The  inconvenience  of  civilization 
Is,  that  you  neither  can  be  pleased,  nor  please. 
But  where  he  met  the  individual  man. 
He  show'd  himself  as  kind  as  mortal  can. 

He  was  not  all  alone ;  around  him  grew 

A  sylvan  tribe  of  children  of  the  chase. 

Whose  young,  unwaken'd  world  was  always  new ; 

Nor  sword,  nor  sorrow,  yet  had  left  a  trace 

On  her  unwrinklcd  brow ;  nor  could  you  view 

A  frown  on  nature's,  or  on  human  face. 

The  free-born  forest  found,  and  kept  them  free, 

And  fresh  as  is  a  torrent  or  a  tree. 

And  tall  and  strong,  and  swift  of  foot  were  they. 
Beyond  the  dwarfing  city's  pale  abortions ; 
Because  their  thoughts  had  never  been  the  prey 
Of  care  or  gain ;  the  green  woods  were  their  portions. 
No  sinking  spirits  told  them  they  grew  gray. 
No  fashion  made  them  apes  Of  her  distortions. 
Simple  they  were ;  not  savage ;  and  their  rifles, 
Though  very  true,  were  not  yet  us'd  for  trifles. 

Motion  was  in  their  days ;  rest  in  their  slumbers ; 
And  cheerfulness  the  handmaid  of  their  toil ; 
Nor  yet  too  many,  nor  too  few  their  numbers ; 
Corruption  could  not  make  their  hearts  her  soil ; 
The  lust,  which  stings ;  the  splendor,  wliich  encumbers, 
With  the  free  foresters  divide  no  spoil. 
Serene,  not  sullen,  were  the  solitudes 
Of  this  unsighing  people  of  the  woods. 

Such  is  the  spleadid  tribute  of  the  prince  of  modern  po- 
ets to  the  patriarch  of  backwoodsmen.     Among  the  great 
numbers  of  this  country  and  foreign  countries,  who  have 
made  the  Kentucky  hunter  the  theme  of  their  narrative 
romance,  or  song,  we  ought  not  to  forget  the  poem  to  hie 


IV 


«|i 


0-^4 


INDIAN  WARS 


mom.:)ry,  entitled,  *Tho  Mountain  Muao,'  by  our  amiable 
and  excellent  cj.intrynian  Bryan — a  poem,  which  critics 
having  found  iinotiual,  and  not  always  striking  or  bcauti* 
ful,  have  consi^iiod  very  unjustly  to  oblivion.  We  wish, 
bctbrc  wo  dismiss  this  most  interesting  character,  to  set 
one  point  at  rest,  which  no  biography  of  him,  with  which 
we  have  m^jt, has  aattlcd.  IIo  mirried  Rebecca,  daughter 
of  Joseph  Bryan,  Esq.  of  Virginia,  oldest  sou  of  Morgan 
Bryan,  head  of  a  very  respectable  tamily.  She  was  born 
near  Winchester,  in  that  state.  But,  while  she  was  still 
young,  her  tatlivn'  emigrated  to  North  Carolina,  where,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Y.idkin,  Bjona  saw,  loved,  and  married 
iier. 

Frequent  enciuirio.B  and  opposite  statements  have  been 
made,  in  regaril  to  tlif3  religious  tenets  of  the  Kentucky 
hunter.  It  is  duo  to  simplicity  and  truth  to  state,  that 
B3ona,  little  addictod  to  bojks,  knew  but  little  of  the  bible, 
the  best  of  all.  IIo  worshipped,  as  ho  often  said,  the 
Great  Spirit — fjr  the  woods  \yere  his  books  and  his  tem- 
ple; and  thj  croad  of  the  rod  men  naturally  became  his. 
But,  such  was  tho  truth,  simplicity,  and  kindness  of  his 
life  and  characiOi',  thorc  can  bo  no  doubt,  had  the  gospel  of 
the  Sin  of  G)d  boon  proposed  to  him,  in  its  sublime  truth 
and  reasonableness,  that  he  would  have  added  to  all  his 
other  virtues  tho  hiidior  name  of  a  christian. 

We  have  only  to  add,  that  tho  bust  of  B>ono  in  Wash- 
ington, tho  pai:itinjol  him  ordered  by  the  General  Assam- 
bly  of  Missouri,  and  tho  engravings  of  him  irt  general, 
have,  his  family  being  tho  judges,  very  little  resemblance. 
They  want  thj  high  port,  and  noble  daring  of  his  counte- 
nance. In  the  j  idgmont  of  tho  writer,  there  is  no  better 
resemblance  of  him  extant,  than  the  coarse  wax  figure  of 
him,  in  tl»e  attituilo  of  his  fight  with  tho  bear,  in  Letton'a 
Museum,  in  Ciarjianati. 

Next  to  the  namo  of  Daniel  Boone,  we  know  of  no  other 
more  conspicuo  js  in  the  early  annals  of  tho  Pioneers,  than 
tlmt  of  SiniDn  Konto:).  He  was  born  May,  1750,  in  Fau- 
quier county,  Virginia.  Stout  in  heart,  robust  in  limb,  he 
was  taught  neither  to  read  nor  write;  and  his  only  heri- 
tage was  the  physical  powers  and  capabilities  of  a  back- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


225 


woodsman.  At  sixteen  the  precocioua  infant  was  violent- 
ly smitten  wilh  ti  hiickwoods  coquette.  Another  youth,  by 
the  name  of  ricitclun  in,  seams  to  have  been  equally  fa- 
vored. Lcitrlmian,  aided  by  his  friends,  watchwl  his  op- 
portunity, and  buiil  Kcuton  sovcrei}.  The  foilowinjj 
spring,  thuir  tir.itual  chiims  were  decided  by  a  drawn  bat- 
tle. It  WHS  a  (losj)t;ratc  encounter,  in  which  biting, 
scratching,  kicl;iii<jf,  thumping,  and  all  sorts  of  backwoods 
annoyance,  W(uo  practised  to  the  utmost.  Leitchman  had 
very  long  hair,  wliich  the  rustic  fair  of  that  day  admired. 
Kenton  found  ni.-anH,  during  the  li^ht,  to  fasten  him,  Ab- 
salom-like, by  this  long  club  of  hair,  to  a  sapling;  and  then 
Simon  feasted  l(jvc  and  revenge  to  the  full;  and  leaving 
his  rival  for  dead,  (led  for  Kentucky. 

From  that  time  until  the  Indian  wars  ceased,  by  the  de- 
cisive victory  of  Gem  oral  VVavne,  no  romance  can  furnish 
more  strikinuincidenis  of  desperate  and  mortal  encounter 
with  the  Inilians,  hand  to  hand,  and  often  when  the  only 
alternative  was  tlio  death  of  one  party  or  the  other.  The 
Indians  finally  killed  his  only  companion,  Montgomery, 
and  took  him  prisoner.  Beating,  torture,  and  menaccj 
were  now  his  daily  portion;  when  at  length  a  white  rene- 
gade among  the  Indians,  told  him  with  a  curse,  that  he  was 
to  be  burnt.  From  this  dreadful  fate  ho  was  saved  at  that 
time  by  the  intervention  of  Simon  Girty,  who  had  been 
his  companion  in  the  days  of  his  boyhood;  and  to  whom, 
in  this  extremity,  he  made  himself  known.  He  was  des- 
tined a  second  time  to  the  flames,  and  was  rescued  this 
time  by  the  mediation  of  Logan,  the  same  chief  whom  Mr. 
Jefferson  has  immortalized.  Still  a  third  lime  the  Indian 
council  adjudged  hini  to  the  flames;  and  he  was  saved  this 
time  by  Dewyer,  British  trading  agent  among  the  Indians. 
He  ran  the  gauntlet,  and  was  thrice  bound  to  the  stake, 
where  the  fagsots  for  burning  him  were  collected.  For 
weeks  his  case  vibrated  between  life  and  death;  and  more 
singular  and  apparently  fortuitous  escapes  have  never 
been  recorded.  Rccklev^ss  in  bravery,  and  perfectly  ac- 
quainted witli  Indian  stratagem,  he  was  present  in  most  of 
the  western  encounters  with  the  Indians,  every  where  in- 
spiring confidence,  and  always  in  the  fore-front  of  the  bat- 


m 

' '  I'm* 

hi 


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3 


i 


1      *x.- 


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li; 


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11: 


226 


INDIAN  WARS 


tie.  He  still  survives  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Miami, 
in  Ohio;  and,  like  Boone,  has  retained  for  his  old  age  nei- 
ther lands  nor  tenements;  the  only  fruit  of  his  toils  and 
dangers  being  remembrances,  and  the  consciousness  of 
having  deserved  well  of  his  country. 

General  Bei>jamin  Logan  occupies  a  prominent  place 
among  the  western  pioneers.  He  was  of  Irish  extract; 
and  his  father  lirst  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  and  afterwards 
moved  to  Virginia,  where  the  subject  of  this  notice  was 
left  an  orphan.  Inheriting  all  his  father's  landed  estate, 
by  the  then  law  of  primogeniture,  he  generously  ordered 
it  sold,  and  the  proceeds  equally  divided  among  his 
brothers  and  sisters.  Thence  he  became  a  back-woods- 
man and  Indian  (ightjr  on  the  llolston.  In  1775,  he  re- 
moved to  Kent\icky,  and  established  a  small  settlement, 
not  far  from  Ilarrodsbnrgh,  called  Logan's  Fort.  From 
this  time,  his  natue  becomes  identified  with  all  the  Indian 
contests.  Many  of  his  exploits  have  already  been  record- 
ed in  these  pages.  In  fact,  we  have  incidentally  intro- 
duced the  prominent  exploits  of  the  greater  number  of  the 
western  pioneers;  and,  as  they  are  now  in  various  ways 
made  known  to  the  public,  we  shall  touch  upon  the  biogra- 
phy of  some  of  (hose  commanders,  commissioned  by  the 
United  States,  who  led  more  considerable  forces  against 
the  Indians;  and  who,  though  they  conducted  armiesyand 
fought  battles,  decisive  in  regard  to  the  final  conquest  of 
the  Indians,  are,  perhaps,  less  known  to  western  readers 
than  these  Indian  figlUers,  who  aspired  to  no  more  than 
paitizan  warfare. 

At  the  head  of  these  we  ))lace  General  George  Rogers 
Clarke.  This  distinguished  western  hero  performed  ex- 
ploits which  would  fill  a  volume.  He  was  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1750.  We  have  no  notices  of  him,  previous  to 
finding  him  a  Colonel,  in  the  service  of  Virginia.  In  1778, 
he  conducted  a  number  of  families  to  the  Falls  of  the 
Ohio,  whom,  to  secure  them  from  Indian  assault,  he  set- 
tled on  an  island  in  the  Ohio,  near  tha.  place.  His  ex- 
ploits at  Kasknskia  and  Vincennes,  have  already  been  re- 
corded. In  1781,  he  received  from  Congress  the  rank  of 
General,  and  the  chief  command  of  Kentucky.    To  pre- 


rc  treat,  n 


OF  THE  WEST. 


227 


vent  the  Indians  qrossing  from  the  north  shore  of  the  Ohio, 
to  assail  the  settlements  of  Kentucky,  he  hit  on  the  inge- 
nious expedient  of  a  row  galley,  carrying  some  swivels 
and  artillery,  and  rowing  up  and  down  the  Ohio.  The  re- 
sult justified  the  wisdom  of  the  expedient.  A  formidable 
Indian  expedition  was  arrested  by  it ;  and,  in  fact,  no  con- 
siderable body  of  Indians  dared  cross  the  Ohio,  while  this 
floating  battery  was  in  operation.  With  a  small  body  of 
troops  at  fort  Washington,  now  Cincinnati,  surrounded 
by  hordes  of  still  hostile  xndians,  among  whom  were  300 
fierce  Shawnese,  who  exhibited  much  insolence  and  me- 
nace, he  dictated  the  terms  of  a  treaty;  and  astonished  his 
officers  and  companions  by  the  calmness  of  his  demeanor, 
amidst  dangers  calculated  to  appal  the  stoutest  heart.  He 
died  at  Locust  Grove,  near  Louisville,  the  scene  of  his 
early  achievementp,  in  February,  1817,  in  the  sixty -sixth 
year  of  his  age.  Bmvery,  which  nothing  coulu  daunt, 
and  a  perseverance  which  nothing  could  relax,  decision, 
promptness,  and  great  force  of  character,  together  with  pe- 
culiar kindness  of  nature,  were  the  characteristics  of  this 
most  fortunate  and  distinguished  veteran. 

Of  General  Harmar  we  only  know,  that  in  September, 
1790,  he  was  appointed  by  Congress  to  the  command  of 
the  United  States'  troops  at  fort  Washington ;  that  he  con- 
ducted an  expedition  against  the  northern  Indians,  in 
which  he  was  defeated  with  the  loss  of  a  number  of  gallant 
officers,  am'>ng  whom  were  Major  Wyli\>',  Major  Fon- 
taine, and  Lieutenant  Frothingham,  and  1^3  men. 

General  Arthur  St.  Clair  commanded  the  revolutionary 
tbrces  at  Ticonderoga,  in  the  year  1777,  and  conducted  a 
retreat,  niarked  by  disaster,  to  the  main  American  army 
at  Stillwater.  He  seems  to  have  been  unif)rmly  unfortu- 
nate, though  sustaining  important  c^^maiids  through  the 
revolutionary  war,  and  never  torfeiiiun;  the  confidence  of 
Washington.  In  1791,  he  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  north-western  army.  Ills  forces  consisJed  of  three 
United  States'  regiments  of  infantry,  two  companies  of  ar- 
tillery, and  one  of  cavalry,  and  over  000  militia.  He  was 
defeated  near  the  St.  Mary,  with  great  slaughter,  losing 
tbur-fifths  of  his  officers,  and  having  half  his  men  either 


w 


m 


'A 
M 

■  ')? 


H\ 


Ii 


«MM 


./ 


228 


INDIAN  WARS 


killed  or  wounded.  Of  private  soldiers,  voO  were  left 
dead  on  the  field.  General  St.  Clair  was  acknowledged 
to  have  commanded  on  this  occasion  with  great  judgment 
and  presence  cfmind,  and  to  have  exposed  himself  without 
any  sense  of  j.orsonal  danger.  Eight  balls  passed  through 
his  hat  and  clothes,  and  several  horses  wore  killed  under 
him  during  the  action,  in  proof  of  his  personal  exposure. 
General  Washington  was  blamed  for  apptiinting  to  this 
command  an  aged,  and  more  than  all,  an  unfortunate  offi- 
cer. In  fact,  his  misfortune  seems  to  have  Leenj  to  have 
inherited  that  malign  destiny,  which  was  formerly  sup- 
posed to  result  from  an  evil  star.  He  was  tried  by  a 
court  martial,  at  his  own  request,  and  was  honorably  ac- 
quitted— and  he  was  afterwards  Governor  of  the  north- 
western teiTitory. 

General  Anthony  Wayne  was  born  in  Chesler  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1745.  His  father  was  distinguished  by 
various  offices  in  that  province.  The  subject  of  this  no- 
tice was  appointed  to  the  command  of  a  regiment  by  Con- 
gress; and  he  was  sent  inder  General  'i'hompson  into 
Canada.  In  the  defeat  which  signalized  that  invasion,  he 
was  wounded;  but  displayed  both  gallantry  and  ability,  in 
bringing  off'the  shattered  American  forces.  lie  served  un- 
der General  Gates,  in  the  distinguished  campaign  in  which 
Burgoyne  was  made  prisoner.  In  addition  to  lincommon 
bravery,  he  showed  talents  as  an  engineer;  aud  f<)r  his  em- 
inent services,  at  the  close  of  the  campaign  was  made  a 
brigadier  general.  At  the  battle  of  Brandy  wine,  he  dis- 
played his  accustomed  heroism;  but  his  detachment  being 
defeated  with  severe  loss,  he  demanded  a  trial  by  a  court 
martial,  and  was  honorably  acquitted.  In  the  battle  of 
Germantown,  he  signalized  himself,  received  two  wounds, 
and  had  two  horses  shot  under  him.  In  the  battle  of  Mon- 
mouth, his  conduct  received  the  particular  apprt)!  Uiori  o( 
General  Washington.  From  his  glorious  acliievciiient  in 
the  capture  of  Stony  Point,  one  of  the  most  brilliant  affairs 
of  the  revolution,  he  has  been  denominated  'the  hero  of 
Stony  Point.'  He  was  here  wounded  in  the  head — it  was 
at  first  supposed  mortally.  He  called  to  his  aids  to  carry 
hin.\  into  the  fort,  that  he  might  die  in  the  scene  of  his  glo- 


fl 


OF  THE  WEST. 


229 


ry.  A  number  of  the  garrison  were  killed,  and  543  made 
prisoners.  For  this  achievement,  Congress  presented 
him  with  a  gold  medal.  From  his  letter,  announcing  the 
capture  of  the  fort,  it  would  appear  that  Commodore  Per- 
ry's famous  bulletin  was  not  altogether  original. 

"Dear  General — The  fort  and  garrison,  with  Colonel 
Johnson,  are  ours.  Our  officers  and  men  behaved  like 
those  determined  to  be  fr»^e.  Anthony  Wayne. 

His  Excellency,  &c.  George  Washington." 

He  bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  procuring  the  surrender 
of  Lord  Cornwallis.  tie  was  eminently  successful  after- 
wards, in  reducing  the  British  and  loyalists  in  Georgia, 
where  he  had  a  number  of  severe  partisan  engagements. 
For  his  great  services  there,  the  legislature  of  that  state 
rewarded  him  with  a  valuable  farm.  Oa  the  peace,  he  re- 
tired to  private  life.  But  we  find  him  afterwards  a  mem- 
ber of  the  convention  of  his  native  Ftate;  and  his  vote  was 
in  favor  of  adopting  *he  present  constitution. 

In  the  >ear  1792,  he  was  appointed  to  succeed  the  un- 
fortunate General  St.  Clair.  We  have  seen  in  what  man- 
ner he  terminated  the  glorious  Indian  campaign,  that  re- 
stored peace  to  the  western  country.  The  Indians  never 
experienced  a  defeat  so  severe,  as  from  the  hero  of  Stony 
Point,  who,  from  his  reckless  bravery,  was  knovvn  amon^ 
the  soldiers  by  the  name  of  'Mad  Anthony.'  He  died  in 
a  log  hovel  at  Erie,  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  formerly 
Presqu'  Isle,  in  his  native  state.  Not  long  since,  the  bones 
of  the  hero  were  removed  to  his  native  county,  where  a 
monuraeut,  with  a  brilliant  inscription,  w^as  raised  to  f)is 
ir.QD->xry  by  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

20 


m ' 


I 


.i 


■A 


mid.- 


230 


INDIAN  WARS 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

4KETCH    OF  THE    INDIAN  WAR  ON   THE   NORTH-WEST 
FRONTIER  IN  1832. 


It  had  been  confidently  hoped  and  predicted,  that  the 
savages,  within  the  Hmits  of  the  Anierican  territories, 
would  never  again  raise  the  tomahawk  against  us.  In  this 
hope,  the  event  disappointed  us.  The  Sues  and  Foxes, 
who  inhabit  In^  waters  of  Rock  and  Fox  rivers,  claimed 
a  great  porti  /  the  country  embracing  the  lead  mine 
district,  of  whic/  jlena  is  the  centre.  Tiie  greater  por- 
tion of  these  tribes  were  fiercely  hostile  to  us,  and  took 
part  with  the  British  in  the  late  war;  and  these  Indians 
seem  never  to  have  entirely  abandoned  the  hate  genera- 
ted in  that  contest.  They  had,  however,  made  a  treaty 
with  us,  by  which  our  claims  to  the  lead  mines  were  well 
defined.  The  hostile  Sacs  and  Foxes  had  become  parties 
to  the  treaty  of  cession,  and  had  affected  to  be  reconciled 
to  us.  But  it  is  now  evident,  that  they  still  fostered  deep 
and  settled  purj)oses  of  revenge.  These  purposes  were 
secretly  fanned,  by  the  circumstance  that  these  tribes  had 
become  an  asylum  for  refugees  of  quarrelson  -^^  reckless, 
and  murderous  characters,  who  were  outlaws  from  the 
other  tribes  about  them.  Their  hostile  feelings  had  been 
Btill  further  exasperated,  by  their  being  obliged  to  give  up 
to  punishment  the  murderers  of  some  Indians  under  the 
protection  of  the  United  States.  In  addition  to  these 
causes  of  hostile  feeling,  the  great  source  of  Indian  dread 
and  hate  had  opened  every  where  in  the  vicinity  of  their 
country.  They  saw  the  white  settlements  on  all  sides  ap- 
proximating and  surrounding  them.  Galena,  in  their  im- 
mediate vicinity,  had  become  a  considerable  town,  with 
at  least  thirty  stores,  and  two  or  three  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. The  country  about  the  mines  was  rapidly  filling 
with  inhabitants,  who  had  planted  themselves  in  that 


OF  THE  WEST. 


231 


healthy  wilderness,  either  as  miners,  connected  with  mi- 
ning operations,  or  as  farmers  to  furnish  produce  to  the 
numerous  laborers  collected  at  the  mines.  A  number  of 
considerable  villages  in  that  vicinity,  had  grown  up  as 
rapidly  as  Galena. 

In  another  ;tirection,  above  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  settle- 
ments were  extending  from  Green  Bay  on  lake  Michigan, 
south-west  towards  the  settlements  at  Galena.  In  a  word, 
the  north-west  frontier  of  Michigan,  Illinois,  and  Missouri, 
which  all  bound  on  the  lead  mine  country,  had  become  to 
the  Indians  what  Kentucky  and  Ohioliad  been  forty  years 
ago. 

The  war  with  these  tribes,  was  ushered  in  with  precise- 
ly the  same  harbingers  that  used  to  accompany  the  Indian 
wars  of  those  days.  The  savages  were  first  seen  prow- 
ling about  among  the  remote  habitations  of  the  whites, 
moody  and  menacing  in  their  deportment.  This  conduct 
slowly  settled  into  aggressions,  such  as  stealing  horses, 
killing  cattle  and  swine,  and  entering  dwellings  to  demand 
whiskey;  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  male  members,  me- 
nacing and  affrightening  tlie  women.  This  order  of  things 
continued  nearly  a  year,  before  they  proceeded,  to  actual 
murders.  These  slow  processes  of  obtaining  revenge, 
suited  not  the  thoughts  of  the  reckless  and  murderous  fugi- 
tives, and  the  abandoned  young  warriors  among  them. 
With  them,  the  first  object  was  to  goad  on  the  tribe  to  that 
gratuitous  outrage,  and  those  burnings  and  murders,  which 
should  place  them  out  of  the  i)ale  of  longer  endurance,  and 
involve  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  war. 

The  leading  war  chief  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  at  this 
time,  was  a  warrior  known  among  the  whites  by  the 
name  of  Black  Hawk,  which  is  only  the  translation  of  his 
name  in  the  Sac  dialect.  His  influence  over  his  fierco 
people  was  confirmed  by  the  aid  and  counsels  of  his  bro- 
ther, the  Prophet,  a  chief  still  more  insidious,  cruel,  and 
revengeful,  than  Black  Hawk  himself.  Both  these  chiefs 
are  supposed  always  to  have  been  in  heart  decidedly  hos- 
tile to  the  Americans.  United  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  un- 
der these  chiefs,  were  fragments  of  tribes  of  the  Sioux 
and  Winnebagoes.      They  had  long  practised  horse-steaI< 


I 

••if 

li 

■w. 


7»:i 


'1? 


11] 


IMMM 


f*Trr  W^  •fniT'ifft  T 


232 


INDIAN  WAR^ 


ing,  burned  some  houses,  and  committed  some  solitary 
murders,  when  their  hostility  was  brought  to  a  head  by 
the  following  events.  A  party  of  the  Illinois  militia  was 
collected  near  a  body  of  these  Indians.  The  parties  came 
in  collision;  some  skirmishing  ensued,  and  two  or  three  In- 
dians were  killed.  In  the  exercise  of  their  accustomed 
policy,  the  party  fled,  to  draw  the  militia  into  an  ambus- 
cade. As  soon  as  they  began  to  retreat,  the  militia  fol- 
lowed them  tumultuously,  two  or  three  only  together,  and 
at  wide  intervals;  and  one  collection  rushing  by  the  other, 
as  they  happened  to  excel  in  the  fleetness  of  their  horses. 
In  this  way  they  pursued  their  foe  over  a  wide  prairie, 
until  about  midnight,  they  found  themselves  decoyed  into 
the  centre  of  an  Indian  camp,  whence  a  deadly  fire  was 
opened  upon  them,  by  which  from  12  to  20  of  their  num- 
ber were  killed.  The  remainder  fled  with  still  more  haste- 
and  disorder  than  they  had  advanced. 

Aware  that  they  were  now  in  a  position  of  open  war 
with  the  whites,  they  commenced  their  accustomed  as- 
saults, burnings,  and  massacres,  along  a  frontier  of  30O 
miles,  from  the  borders  of  Illinois  to  Green  Bay.  As  in 
former  times,  their  vengeance  was  indiscriminate  and  un- 
sparing. Old  and  young,  mothers  and  infants,  the  sick 
and  decrepid,  were  alike  the  victims  of  the  merciless  tom- 
ahawh.  Burning  and  devastation  completed  their  work  of 
murder.  On  Indian  creek,  a  tributary  of  Fox  River,  they 
destroyed  a  little  settlement,  murdering  15  persons.  M.  de 
St.  Orain,  Indian  tigent  to  these  Indiaiis,  and  of  course,  by 
their  usages,  a  person  considered  inviolable,  journeying  in 
company  with  seven  or  eight  men,  was  fired  upon ;  and, 
along  with  two  others  of  the  party,  slain,  A  series  of 
murders,  the  details  of  which  have  not  yet  been  presented 
to  the  public,  were  perpetrated  in  Vermillion  county,  on 
the  Wabash,  and  along  the  northern  frontier  of  the  mine 
settlements ;  and  such  Was  their  audacity,  as  to  fire  upwi  a 
steam  boat  descending  from  Galena  to  St.  Louis. 

A  harmless  Dunkard  minister,  well  known  to  them,  on 
a  mission  in  that  country,  was  assaulted  and  slain,  when 
on  his  solitary  route. 

Among  a. series  of  assaults  too  numerous  to  particular 


OP  THE  WEST. 


233 


ize,  none  excited  more  sympathy  and  regret,  than  that 
upon  the  family  of  Mr.  Hall,  living  on  Indian  Creek.  It 
was  an  educated  iUmily,  advanced  in  condition  and  man- 
ners beyond  the  rougher  backwoods  settlers  about  them. 
Of  this  numerous  laiuily,  two  sons,  that  were  at  work  in 
a  distant  field  at  the  moment  of  the  assault,  were  spared, 
and  two  daughters  were  made  captives.  The  rest  were 
all  murdered,  iiicliiding  the  .husband,  wife,  and  children. 
The  young  ladies  takon  prisoners,  ;irc  s:iid  to  have  pos* 
sessed,  at  least  one  of  them,  uucjmmon  personal  beauty. 
In  carrying  thorn  olF,  the  Indians  placed  each  upon  ahorse, 
led  by  an  Indian.  Oihcrs  walked  beside  them  to  keep 
them,  in  the  ditlicult  places  on  their  route,  from  falling  off. 
At  night,  a  lodge  was  set  apart  fur  them,  detached  fx'orn 
the  sleeping  places  of  the  warriors;  and  elderly  squawa 
were  assigned  to  sleep  on  each  side  of  them.  They  were 
offered  their  full  share  of  the  usual  Indian  food,  which  con- 
tinual weeping,  and  the  natural  grief  incident  to  their  con- 
dition, prevented  them  from  taking.  In  no  instance  did 
the  warriors  c/fter  them  the  slightest  indelicacy  of  deport- 
ment. 

They  terminated  their  journey  in  the  interior  of  Black 
Hawk's  camp,  a  position  on  a  sort  of  island  in  a  vast  swamp, 
inaccessible  on  every  side,  save  onej  and  that  could  be 
approached  only  through  a  miry  and  dangerous  ford.  No 
l)ost  could  have  been  selected  more  secure  and  impregna- 
ble. They  v/ere  ransomed  through  the  mediation  of  the 
WinnebagoeSj  vv'ho  seem  to  have  been  a  sort  of  equivocal 
alUes  both  to  tlie  Americans  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  ac- 
cording as  SLiccesi  or  interest  preponderated.  But  the 
ransom  was  found  an  affair  both  of  difliculty  and  expense. 
A  young  warrior  of  raidc  claimed  the  handsomer  captive 
as  his  prize,  and  showed  the  utmost  reluctance  to  giving 
her  up.  A  ransom  to  the  value  of  2000  dollars  was  offer- 
ed, and  ten  horses  in  addition  for  the  young  lady  claimed 
by  the  warrior.  To  all  this,  the  Winnebagoes,  whom  the 
Sacs  dared  not  affront,  were  obliged  to  add  menaces  of 
joining  the  Americans,  and  rescuing  the  young  ladies  by 
violence.  They  were  finally  ransomed.  But  the  young 
warrior,  fierce,  avaricious,  and  forlorn,  insisted,  as  a  sou* 

20* 


I 

i 


W    H 


J;.' 

m 


234 


INDIAN  WARS 


venir  from  his  fair  captive  flame,  instead  of  her  scalp,  up- 
on cutting  off  a  lock  of  her  hair,  w^ich  he  said  he  intended 
to  keep,  as  a  trophy  at  once  of  his  valor  and  his  love. 

The  sparseness  of  the  settlements  in  that  quarter,  and 
the  great  distance  from  our  military  resources,  rendered 
the  chastisement  of  these  murderers  slower  than  could  have 
been  wished;  though,  taking  the  circumstances  into  view, 
it  was  more  prompt  than  could  have  been  expected.  The 
Illinois  militia  was  promptly  called  out,  and  volunteers 
flocked  to  our  standard.  The  corn  crop  in  that  quarter 
had  failed  the  preceding  year,  and  it  was  found  difficult  to 
obtain  sufficient  resources  to  keep  the  militia  embodied. 
Nevertheless,  they  were  soon  driven  by  General  Dodge 
from  the  frontiers  to  their  fastnesses  in  their  own  country. 
A  steam  boat,  trading  on  the  waters  of  thp  Mississippi  to 
Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the  first  of  August  1832,  and  while 
40  miles  above  that  place,  discovered  a  large  body  of  Sacs 
and  Foxes  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mississippi,  sup- 
posed to  be  their  main  force.  The  company  considering  it 
their  duty  to  be  first  in  the  attack,  fired  upon  them,  killed 
a  number,  and  put  the  rest  to  flight.  We  quote  the  ac- 
count of  this  affair,  as  related  by  the  party,  and  as  an  amu- 
sing bulletin  in  its  kind. 

"Prairie  du  Chien,  Aug.  3,  1832. 

Dear  Samuel :^ — I  arrived  at  this  place  on  Monday  last; 
and  was  despatched  with  the  Warrior  alone,  to  Wa-pa- 
shaw's  village,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  above,  to 
inform  them  of  the  approach  of  the  Sacs,  and  to  order 
down  all  the  friendly  Indians  to  this  place.  On  our  way 
up,  we  met  one  of  the  Sioux  band,  who  informed  us,  that 
the  enemy  was  on  Bad-axe  river,  to  the  number  of  four 
hundred.  We  stopped,  took  in  wood,  and  prepared  for 
actipn.  Yesterday,  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  we  found 
them,  where  he  stated  he  had  lefl;  them.  As  we  neared 
them,  they  raised  a  white  flag,  with  which  they  endeav- 
ored to  decoy  us.  But  we  were  too  old  for  that  trick,  and, 
instead  of  landing,  ordered  them  to  send  a  boat  on  board, 
which  they  declined.  After  fifteen  minute's  delay,  to  give 
them  time  to  remove  their  women  and  children,  we  let 
Blip  a  six  pounder,  loaded  with  cannister,  followed  by  a 


Of  THE  WEST. 


235 


severe  fire  of  musketry ;  and  if  you  over  saw  straight  blan- 
kets, you  wpuW  have  seen  them  there.  I  fought  them  at 
anchor  most  of  the  time ;  and  we  were  all  much  exposed. 
I  have  a  ball,  which  came  in  close  by  where  I  was  stand- 
ing, and  passed  through  the  bulkhead  of  the  wheel  room. 
We  fought  them  more  than  an  hour,  until  our  wood  began 
to  fail ;  and  night  coming  on,  we  left  them,  and  went  to 
the  prairie.  This  affair  cost  them  twenty-three  killed, 
and  a  proportioAal  number  of  wounded.  We  had  a  single 
man  wounded.  The  next  morning,  before  we  could  get 
back  again,  on  account  of  a  heavy  fog,  our  whole  army 
was  upon  them.  We  found  them  at  it,  and  walked  in,  and 
took  a  hand  ourselves.  The  first  shot  from  the  Warrior 
laid  out  three  for  them.  The  army  had  eight  or  nine  kill- 
ed, and  seventeen  wounded,  whom  we  took  down  with  us. 
One  died  on  deck  last  night.  I  assure  you,  my  friend, 
there  is  no  sport  in  fighting  Indians,  particularly  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  when  the  grass  is  so  bright.  We 
broiight  down  thirty-six  women  and  children,  who  were 
prisoners.  We  had  sixteen  regulars,  five  riflemen,  and 
twenty  of  ourselves.  There  was  no  small  whizzing  of 
bullets.  Every  man,  and  even  my  cabin  boy,  fought 
well." 

The  officers  of  the  militia  in  the  vicinity,  among  whom 
General  Dodge  stood  conspicuous,  rendered  continual  and 
the  most  active  services  in  this  campaign.  Generals  Atkin- 
son and  Scott,  of  the  United  State's  army,  with  their  com- 
mands, hurried  vo  the  scene  of  action.  General  Scott, 
with  a  respectable  force  from  the  quarters  of  New  York 
and  the  lakes,  was  unfortunately  delayed,  and  his  forces 
diminished,  by  the  breaking  out  of  the  cholera,  in  a  very 
mortal  form  among  them.  He  at  length  arrived  at  the 
scene  of  action ;  and  his  troops  being  united  with  those  of 
General  Atkinson  and  the  partisan  militia,  formed  a  force 
sufficient  to  look  down  all  opposition.  The  brave  militia 
had  kept  them  at  bay;  but  were  not  in  sufficient  force  to 
penetrate  into  their  fastnesses.  As  soon  as  they  discov- 
ered what  was  their  inevitable  fate,  if  forced  to  a  contest, 
they  attempted  to  retreat  to  the  vast  wildernesses  west  of 
the  Mississippi ;  and  with  a  well  imagined  policy,  and  a 


h    ' 


I 


f ' 

•I 


h 


i 


!33^S^ 


1^6 


INDIAN  WARS 


perfect  knowledge  of  that  dilficult  country  of  alternate 
mountains  and  swanipS)  took  to  these  wild,  and  as  they 
fondly  deemed,  inaccessible  routes  to  a  regular  army. 
But  they  mistook.  Their  enemy  hung  close  upon  their 
rear,  over  mountain  and  moor,  and  through  the  ravines  and 
defiles.  Seeing  the  probable  issue  of  the  war,  the  Sioux 
and  Wintiebagocs  fell  upon  them  in  the  hour  of  their  cxtre-' 
mity — the  latter  most  thanklessly  j  for,  it  is  aflirmed,  that 
their  counsels  to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  from  the  beginning, 
had  been  to  fight  it  out.  A  party  of  Sioux  fell  upon  one 
of  their  retreating  bands,  gained  a  most  decisive  victory, 
killed  two  hundred,  and  took  forty  prisoners,  among  whom 
was  Na-o-popc,  the  prophet,  and  brother  of  Black  Hawk. 
About  the  samj  time,  a  detachment  from  Cassville  encoun- 
tered a  war  i)arty  of  Sacs,  and  defeated  them,  killing 
twelve  and  taking  some  prisoners. 

The  battle,  to  which  alttision  was  had  in  the  steam-boat 
bulletin,  is  given  in  the  accounts  of  the  day  to  this  amount. 
On  July  28  and  29,  Generals  Atkinson,  Posey,  Alexander, 
and  Dodge,  crossed  at  Helena,  to  the  north  shore  of  the 
Oui.sconsin,  whence  they  marched  in  a  northerly  direction, 
and  in  a  short  time  discovered  a  large  Indian  trail,  leading 
north  of  west.  A  forced  pursuit  was  immediately  com- 
menced; and  on  the  morning  of  the  second  of  August, 
they  were  overtaken  five  miles  from  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi.  General  Dodge's  squadron  led  the  attack,  anri 
the  Indians  were  driven  from  hill  to  hill,  until  they  came 
to  the  river,  where  they  made  a  desperate  stand.  Find- 
ing themselves,  however,  defeated  at  o\'ery  point,  they 
plunged  at  length  into  the  waterj-'-men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren,-"in  the  hope  of  escaping  the  fire  of  their  assailants 
by  diving.  The  conflict  lasted  three  hours.  The  troops 
of  the  United  States  lost  twenty-seven  in  killed  and  woun- 
ded* The  Indian  loss  could  not  be  exactly  ascertained; 
but  it  must  have  exceeded  one  hundred  and  fifty  slain ;  and 
fifty  of  their  women  and  children  were  taken  prisoners. 
Black  Hawk  is  said  to  have  fled  up  the  river  in  the  midst 
of  the  fight,  leaving  many  of  his  valuables  behind  him, 
which  were  found  on  the  battle  ground. 

This  battle  was  decisive  of  their  fate.     They  nevei; 


I* 


O^  THE  WEST. 


237 


made  an  effDrt  to  rally  in  force  again.  Their  rcnogado 
allies  had  already  shrunk  from  them.  The  Sioux,  many 
of  whom  had  shown  equivocal  deportment  and  double 
dealing  between  them  and  us,  begged  to  bo  allowed  to  go 
in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  The  Winnebagoes  had  taken 
most  decisive  steps  against  tbem;  and,  after  their  barbar- 
ous usages,  werx)  daily  bringing  in  their  scalps.  They 
killed  Stack-ar-ka-pee,  a  leading  Fox  warrior.  The  Me-" 
nomonees,  too,  came  in  to  hunt  them  down.  Some  priso- 
ners brought  in,  informed,  that  before  the  encounter  in 
which  General  Dodge  had  defeated  them,  on  the  twenty- 
first  of  July,  they  had  lost  two  hundred  warriors,  beside 
the  women  and  children,  drowned  by  the  sinking  of  their 
canoes  in  the  Mississippi.  Not  long  afterwards,  the  head 
chief,  Black  Hawk,  Nc-o-pope,  the  prophet,  and  eleven 
other  head  chiefs,  together  with  fifty  warriors  of  less  note, 
were  taken  prisoners  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and  delivered 
up  to  the  Indian  agent  at  Prairie  da  Obien.  Th«  fifty 
captive  warriors  were  dismissed,  on  their  giving  pledge, 
that  they  would  remain  hereafter  peaceable.  The  Black 
Hawk,  Ne-o-pope,  and  the  other  eleven  chiefs  were  sent 
down  the  Mississippi  in  a  steam  boat  to  St.  Louis;  whence 
they  were  sent  to  Jefferson  B;irracks,  there  to  remain 
prisoners,  and  hostages  for  the  peaceable  conduct  of  their 
tribes,  until  a  permanent  peace  should  be  established  with 
them.  Among  the  effects  of  Black  Hawk,  left  behind  on 
his  retreat  after  the  battle  of  the  second  of  August,  andl 
which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans,  were  certifi- 
cates of  his  good  character,  and  of  his  having  fought 
bravely  against  the  United  States,  in  the  late  war  with 
Great  Britain,  signed  by  British  officers. 

The  war  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  was,  unquestionably, 
one  of  pure  aggression,  and  entirely  unprovoked,  the  lands 
which  they  claimed,  having  been  sold  by  themselves,  and 
the  consideration  amply  and  promptly  paid.  Never  were 
savage  aggressions  more  cruel  and  wanton,  than  theirs, 
upon  the  inoffensive  settlers  of  the  frontiers  of  Illinois  and 
the  north-western  territory.  Many  families  were  mas- 
sacred, and  settlements  broken  up,  before  retribution 
reached  them.    But  when  it  did  come,  it  was  decisive 


'a: 

I- 


f.' 


^ 


2^8 


INDIAN  WARS 


and  final.  Those  tribes,  which,  for  thirty  years  past, 
have  hovered  round  our  frontiers,  like  wolves,  sometimes 
restrained  from  murder  through  fear  or  interest,  or  tran- 
sient policy,  but  always  hostile  at  heart,  at  length  provok- 
ed their  fate,  and  are  now  so  broken  down,  as  never  to  be 
able  again  to  raise  the  tomahawk,  except  as  solitary  and 
vagabond  murderers.  Tlie  pioneers  of  civilization  in 
those  remote  forests  and  prairies  of  the  north-west,  need 
never  fear  that  their  tranquility  will  bd  again  disturbed  by 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  The  uncertain  and  equivocating 
Winnebagojs,  and  Sioux,  and  Menomonccs,  have  had  a 
stern  lesson  before  their  eyes,  of  the  promptness  and 
power  of  American  chastisement;  and  the  impossibility  of 
escaping  it  by  being  cheered  by  the  smiles  of  the  British 
traders,  or  by  their  contiguity  to  the  range  of  the  British 
north-west  trading  company — a  lesson,  which,  we  trust, 
will  awe  them  to  quietness,  unti4  our  settlements  in  that 
quarter  shall  be  so  dense  as  to  leave  no  apprehensions  from 
savages  in  their  vicinage,  however  diposed  towards  us. 

Black  Hawk  and  Ne-o-pope  arc  shown  at  Jefferson  Bar- 
racks, as  fair  samples  of  the  unsophisticated  red  men  of 
the  north-west.  Black  Hawk  is  considerably  advanced  in 
years,  we  believe,  turned  of  sixty.  He  is  well  built,  of 
the  middle  stature,  with  an  aquiline  nose,  a  plausible  and 
rather  cunning  expression  of  countenance,  in  which  ho 
seems  to  wish  to  manifest  moderation  and  benignity.  The 
head  is  large,  as  large  as  a  phrenologist  would  desire; 
but,  unhappdy,  with  a  forehead  singularly  retreating,  and 
the  back  part  of  his  head  greatly  superior  in  length  and 
volume  to  the  fore  part.  Indeed,  dcstructiveness  is  de- 
veloped in  his  cranium  to  an  inordinate  degree.  Yet  the 
warrior,  the  commander,  the  chief  among  the  fiercest  of 
the  red  men,  the  man  who  could  issue  the  most  terrible 
war-hoop  from  the  prairie,  in  view  of  a  peaceful  Amer- 
ican settlement,  or  who  could  utter  the  most  plausible  and 
moderate  speech  before  American  agents — all  tliese  capa- 
bilities sit  enthroned  on  his  countenance;  and  are  legible 
by  an  ordinary  observer.  Nature  has  strongly  marked 
him  a  chief.  Ne-o-pope,  the  prophet,  is  a  malignant,  fierce 
looking  savage,  in  whose  countenance  knavery,  and  ,p):e- 


OF  THE  WEST. 


239 


tension  to  sanctity,  nnd  the  instinct  blood-thirstiness  of  a 
wolf  are  curiously  combined. 

We  need  hardly  add,  that  within  two  or  three  past 
years,  a  new  experiment  is  making  upon  tlic  red  people 
included  within  the  territorial  limits  of  the  United  States. 
Territories,  marked  by  specific  geographical  limitn,  are 
assigned  them  in  the  immense  regions  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  of  the  settlement  of  the  whites.  These  loca- 
tions place  them  between  our  exterior  settlements  and  the 
Rocky  mountains,  where  a  boundless  region  of  prairie 
opens  before  them,  furnishing  the  only  hunting  grounds, 
tliat  are,  to  any  considerable  degree,  productive  within 
our  territorial  limits.  Tart  of  the  Cherokees,  Chactaws, 
Chickasaw  s  and  Creeks,  and  nearly  all  the  Shuwnese  and 
Delawares,  are  already  removed  there.  It  is  expected,  in 
the  event  of  a  pacilicution,  that  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  will 
also  remove  west  of  the  Mississippi. 

It  is  now  a  vexed  question,  debated  with  intense  inte- 
rest, and  no  little  asperity,  whether  the  remaining  Indi- 
ans in  the  limils  of  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississipj)i,  and 
Tennessee,  ought  or  ought  not  to  be  compelled  to  join  their 
brethren,  who  have  already  removed  to  the  country  as- 
signed them  west  of  the  Mississippi.  On  the  '  iiehand, 
it  is  contended,  that  the  country,  which  the  Indians  above 
specified,  inhabit,  is  secured  to  them  by  treaties  with  the 
United  States,  in  which  they  are  recognized  as  an  inde- 
pendent people;  and  that  being  unwilling  to  remove,  we 
have  no  right  to  compel  them  to  that  course.  These  ad- 
vocates speak  of  their  improvements,  their  cultivated 
farms,  manufactories,  roads,  bridges,  police,  and  their  es- 
tablished press.  All  these  astonishing  germs  of  Indian 
civilization,  will  be,  they  atlirm,  extinguished  by  their  re- 
moval. They  are  at  once  becoming  christianized  and 
civilized.  In  the  western  prairies  they  will  again  retro- 
grade to  savages  and  pagans.  Worse,  if  possible,  than 
that;  in  that  country  of  sterility,  they  will  perish  misera- 
bly either  by  war  with  the  other  tribes,  into  whose  territo- 
ries we  have,  intruded  them,  or  by  famine.  They  add 
numerous  affecting  moral  arguments  against  the  measure, 
closed  with  the  touching  one  drawn  from  the  considera- 


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"^^t^tHi'.iiW^i^Mli^d 


240 


INDIAN  WARS  OF  THE  WEST. 


tion  of  removing  them  from  their  venerated  cemeteries, 
and  the  bones  of  their  forefathers. 

On  the  other  part,  the  advocates  of  removal  contend, 
that  the  states,  within  whose  limits  they  reside,  have  per- 
fect sovereignty  in  their  lands,  and  an  undoubted  right 
either  to  compel  their  submission  to  their  laws,  or  to  re- 
move them.  They  state,  that  it  is  impossible,  that  the  Indi- 
ans should  exist,  as  an  independent  people,  within  the 
populous  Umits  of  the  whites;  that  collisions,  murders, 
escapes  of  fugitive  slaves,  and  the  operations  of  laws  and 
usages  so  essentially  uifierent,  as  those  of  the  white  and 
red  perple,  will  forever  keep  alive  between  the  contigu- 
ous parties,  feuds,  quariels,  and  retaliations,  which  can 
never  cease  until  one  of  the  parties  becomes  extinct. 


They  state,  that  commissioners,  who  have  been  sent  to 
explore  the  country  assigned  to  the  Indians,  who  have 
already  emigratec',  find  them  generally  in  healthy  and  fer- 
tile countries,  satisfied  with  their  condition,  and  advancing 
still  more  rapidly  in  agriculture,  wealth,  and  civilization, 
than  their  brethren  east  of  the  Mississippi;  and,  Uiat  their 
removal  wifi  advance,  instead  of  retarding  these  improve- 
ments. They  expatiate  on  the  liberal  price  paid  for  their 
relinquished  lands,  and  the  ample  appropriation  made  by 
the  government  for  their  removal.  One  party  sees  no- 
thing in  their  removal,  but  oppression,  violation  of  treaties, 
and  of  the  faith  of  the  United  States,  <ruelty  and  perfidy 
on  our  part,  and  on  theirs  banishment  from  their  homes 
and  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  poverty,  famine,  degrada- 
tion and  utter  extinction,  chargeable  to  the  ingratitude  and 
tyranny  of  the  whites. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  advocates  of  removal  see  the 
race  perpetuated  in  opulence  and  peace  in  the  fair  prai- 
ries of  the  west.  Here  they  are  to  grow  up  distinct  red 
nations,  with  schools  and  churches,  the  anvil,  the  loom,  and 
the  plough — ^a  sort  of  Arcadian  race  between  our  borders 
and  the  Ro^ky  mountains,  standing  memorials  of  the  kind- 
ness and  good  faith  of  our  government. 

Non  nobis  tantas  componere  lit^s. 


FIKIS. 


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